How can you get Health Insurance Medical Insurance?

Before Buying Health Insurance Medical Healthcare Insurance one must prepare a questioner in his/her mind or should have at least some questions in their mind about why to choose this plan? What is the difference between these two plans ? What benefit I am going to get by opting this plan ? What special is in this plan ? like ways .
I had prepared a list which you may ask to your agent or to health insurance medical insurance company before opting any plan .
We basically know we have plans like Fee for Service Healthcare Insurance Plan, HMO Medical Healthcare Insurance Plan, PPO Health Plan.

 Before opting Fee-for-Service Health Insurance Plans

• How much is the monthly health insurance premium? 
• What will your total cost be each year? There are individual rates and family rates.
• What does the health insurance policy cover? Does it cover prescription drugs, out-of-hospital care, or home care? 
• Are there limits on the amount or the number of days the health insurance provider will pay for these services? The best fee-for-service health insurance plans cover a broad range of health care services.
• Are you currently being treated for a medical condition that may not be covered under your new health insurance plan? Are there limitations or a waiting period involved in the health insurance coverage?
• What is the health insurance deductible? Often, you can lower your monthly health insurance premium by buying a health insurance policy with a higher yearly deductible amount.
• What is the coinsurance rate? What percent of your bills for allowable services will you have to pay
• What is the maximum you would pay out-of-pocket per year? How much would it cost you directly before the health insurance company would pay everything else?
• Is there a lifetime maximum cap the health insurance provider will pay? The cap is an amount after which the health insurance company will not pay anymore. This is important to know if you or someone in your family has an illness that requires expensive treatments. 

Before opting HMO Health Plans

• Are there many doctors to choose from in the HMO plan? Do you select from a list of contract physicians or from the available staff of a group practice? Which doctors are accepting new patients? How hard is it to change doctors if you decide you want someone else?
• How are referrals to specialists handled?
• Is it easy to get appointments? How far in advance must routine visits be scheduled? 
• What arrangements does the HMO have for handling emergency care?
• Does the HMO offer the health care services you want? What preventive services are provided? Are there limits on medical tests, surgery, mental health care, home care, or other support offered? 
• What if you need a special service not provided by the HMO?
• What is the service area of the HMO? 
• Where are the facilities located in your community that serve HMO members? 
• How convenient to your home and workplace are the doctors, hospitals, and emergency care centers that make up the HMO network? 
• What happens if you or a family member are out of town and need medical treatment?
• What will the HMO health insurance plan cost? What is the yearly total for monthly fees? In addition, are there co-payments for office visits, emergency care, prescribed drugs, or other services? How much are they? 

Before opting  PPO Health Plans

• Are there many doctors to choose from in the PPO health insurance plan? Who are the doctors in the PPO network? Where are they located? Which ones are accepting new patients? How are referrals to specialists handled?
• What hospitals are available through the PPO? Where is the nearest hospital in the PPO network? What arrangements does the PPO have for handling emergency care?
• What health care services are covered by the PPO plan? What preventive services are offered? Are there limits on medical tests, out-of-hospital care, mental health care, prescription drugs, or other services that are important to you?
• What will the PPO health insurance plan cost? How much is the premium? 
• Is there a per-visit cost for seeing PPO doctors or other types of co-payments for services? 
• What is the difference in cost between using doctors in the PPO network and those outside it? 
• What is the deductible and coinsurance rate for care outside of the PPO? 
• Is there a limit to the maximum you would pay out of pocket?

Above mentioned questions are some questions which one must definitely ask or get to know before opting any plan . Now comes the question you have opted best available option . Now still you are not sure that you will get maximum benefit from your Medical Healthcare Insurance plan. Below is the thing which we always think after paying for something in this case maximum benefit after opting Health Insurance Plan.


How to Get the Most from Your Health Insurance Plan?

Medicare Vs Medigap in Medical Healthcare Insurance

                                                     Medicare Vs Medigap


Medicare is the federal (national) health insurance program for Americans age 65 and older and for certain disabled Americans. If you are eligible for Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits and are age 65, you and your spouse automatically qualify for Medicare.

Medicare has two parts: Hospital insurance, known as Part A, and Supplementary medical insurance, known as Part B, which provides payments for doctors and related services and supplies ordered by the doctor. If you are eligible for Medicare, Part A is free, but you must pay a premium for Part B.

Medicare will pay for many of your health care expenses, but not all of them. In particular, Medicare does not cover most nursing home care, long-term care services in the home, or prescription drugs. There are also special rules when Medicare pays your bills that apply if you have employer group health insurance coverage through your own job or the employment of a spouse.

Medicare usually operates on a fee-for-service basis. HMOs and similar forms of prepaid health care plans are now available to Medicare enrollees in some locations.

The best sources of information on the Medicare program are the handbook Medicare & You , and the Medicare website. You may also contact your local Social Security office for information and materials.

Some people who are covered by Medicare buy private insurance, called "Medigap" policies, to pay the medical bills that Medicare does not cover. Some Medigap policies cover Medicare's deductibles; most Medigap policies pay the coinsurance amount. Some Medigap policies also pay for health services not covered by Medicare.

There are 10 standard medical healthcare insurance plans from which you can choose but some States may have fewer than 10. If you buy a Medigap policy, make sure you do not purchase more than one. You need to shop carefully before deciding on the best Medigap policy to fit your needs.

Disability Insurance
Disability insurance replaces income you lose if you have a long-term illness or injury and cannot work. Disability coverage is an important type of insurance for working-age people to consider. Disability insurance does not cover the cost of rehabilitation if you are injured. Check your major medical insurance to see if it is covered there.

Some employers offer group disability insurance and this may be one of the benefits where you work. Or you might be eligible for some government-sponsored programs that provide disability benefits. Many different kinds of individual disability policies are also available.


Hospital Indemnity Insurance
Hospital indemnity insurance offers limited coverage. It pays a fixed amount for each day, up to a maximum number of days. You may use it for medical or other health care expenses. Usually, the amount you receive will be less than the cost of a hospital stay.

Some hospital indemnity policies will pay the specified daily amount even if you have other health insurance. Other hospital indemnity insurance plans may coordinate benefits, so that the money you receive does not equal more than 100 percent of the hospital bill.


Long-Term Care Insurance
Long-term care insurance is designed to cover the costs of nursing home care, which can be several thousand dollars each month. Long-term care is usually not covered by health insurance except in a very limited way. Medicare covers very few long-term care expenses. There are many long-term care insurance plans and they vary in costs and services covered, each with its own limits.

Medical and Health Insurance

Understanding health insurance plans is in reality very complicated. There are many healthcare insurance plans available in market , and deciding which one is best for you is not easy.

Is known that you  have to compromise in some areas. Whether it is cost, variety of health services covered or access to the doctors of your choice, you probably will not get the perfect health insurance plan.

The following points will help you to understand your options.


What Is Most Important to You in a Health Insurance Plan? 
In choosing a health insurance plan, you have to decide what is most important to you. All health plans have trade offs. Ask yourself these questions:

•How comprehensive do you want coverage of health care services to be?
•How do you feel about limits on your choice of doctors or hospitals?
•How do you feel about a primary care doctor referring you to specialists for additional health care?
•How convenient does your health care need to be?
•How important is the cost of health services?
•How much are you willing to spend on health insurance premiums and other health care costs?
•How do you feel about keeping receipts and filing health insurance claims?

You might also want to think about whether the services that a health insurance plan offers meet your needs. Call the health insurance plan for details about coverage if you have questions. As far as i know please consider:

•Life changes you may be thinking about, such as starting a family or retiring.
•Chronic health conditions or disabilities that you or family members have.
•If you or anyone in your family will need health care for the elderly.
•Health care for family members who travel a lot, attend college, or spend time at two homes.


What Health Insurance Plan Benefits Are Offered? 
Most health insurance plans provide basic medical coverage, but the details are what count. The best health insurance plan for someone else may not be the best plan for you. For each health insurance plan you are considering, find out how it handles the following:

•Physical examinations and health screenings.
•Health care by specialists.
•Hospitalization and emergency care.
•Prescription drugs.
•Vision care.
•Dental services.
•Care and counseling for mental health.
•Services for drug and alcohol abuse.
•Obstetrical-gynecological care and family planning services.
•Ongoing care for chronic (long-term) diseases, conditions, or disabilities.
•Physical therapy and other rehabilitative care.
•Home health, nursing home, and hospice care.
•Chiropractic or alternative health care, such as acupuncture.
•Experimental treatments.
•What preventive care is offered, such as shots for children?
•What health screenings are given, such as breast exams and Pap smears for women?

What Are the Health Insurance Costs? 
No health insurance plan will cover every health expense. To get a true idea of what your health care costs will be under each plan, you need to look at how much you will pay for your health insurance premium and other costs.

•Are there deductibles you must pay before the health insurance begins to help cover your costs?
•After you have met your health insurance deductible, what part of your health costs are paid by the plan?
•Does this amount vary by the type of service, doctor, or health facility used?
•Are there co-payments you must pay for certain health services, such as doctor visits?
•If you use doctors outside a plan's network, how much more will you pay to get care?
•If a health insurance plan does not cover certain health services or care that you think you will need, how much will you have to pay?
•Are there any limits to how much you must pay in case of major illness?
•Is there a limit on how much the health insurance plan will pay for your care in a year or over a lifetime? A single hospital stay for a serious condition could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

You cannot know in advance what your health care needs for the coming year will be. But you can guess what health services you and your family might need. Figure out what the total costs to your family would be for these services under each health insurance plan.


                            Understanding  Medical Healthcare Insurance Plans

Location of Health Care Services

•Where will you go for care?
•Are these places near where you work or live?
•How does the plan handle care when you are away from home?

Limitations on Health Care Services 
Look at the services offered by each health insurance plan.

•What services are limited or not covered?
•Is there a good match between what is provided and what you think you will need? For example, if you have a chronic disease, is there a special program for that illness?
•Will the plan provide the medicines and equipment you may need?
Find out what types of care or services the plan will not pay for. These are usually called exclusions.


Compare Health Insurance Plans 
After you review what benefits are available and decide what is important to you, you can compare plans. Many things should be considered. These include services offered, choice of providers, location, and costs. The quality of care is also a factor to think about