As a consumer, you know that it’s important to compare your options before you make a large purchase. While shopping for a new car, you aren’t going to simply buy the first car that catches your eye. When you’re on the hunt for a new pair of shoes, you’ll probably try a few pairs on before making a decision. But what about your health insurance plan? It’s certainly an important purchase. In fact, it’s a long-term investment that helps protect your family in times of trouble and stress. Before settling on a health insurance plan, it is extremely important to compare multiple plans and choose the one that best matches your family’s needs.

When comparing health insurance plans, you’ll need to consider several factors.

• Type of Plan: The four basic types of insurance plans offered are the Indemnity Plan (Fee-for-Service), Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), Point-of-Service Plan (POS) and Health Savings Account (HSA).

- With an indemnity plan, you have the freedom to choose any doctors and medical facilities you wish to visit for your health care needs. After you receive a medical service, your insurance provider will reimburse the medical provider.

- With an HMO, you pay a monthly premium in exchange for comprehensive medical care. You must use doctors and hospitals within your plan’s network.

- With a PPO, you have a choice to use any doctor you wish. However, the plan covers more of your bill when you choose doctors and facilities within the network.

- The POS plan has characteristics of both HMO’s and PPO’s. Although group members generally use doctors and facilities within the network, referrals outside the network are acceptable.

- The HSA has become increasingly popular in recent years. With an HSA, you deposit tax-deductible funds into a savings account; these funds can then be used to cover your health care costs. Before starting an HSA, you must first establish a qualifying high-deductible health insurance plan.

• Insurance Premiums: Every month, you will be required to pay a monthly premium to your health insurance company. As a general rule, your premium will increase as your coverage increases. Although you do need to choose a plan with adequate coverage, you must also choose a plan with reasonable premium payments. Falling behind on your premium payments could result in a discontinuation of your health insurance.

• Insurance Coverage: Carefully assess the coverage offered by the health insurance plans. Most plans cover preventive care and medical emergencies. However, check the coverage for prescription medications, immunizations, dental services and pregnancy costs.

• Insurance Deductibles: Before your health insurance plan begins covering any of your medical expenses, you will need to cover enough medical bills on your own to meet your deductible. Choose a plan with a deductible that is reasonable for your family’s financial standing.

• Co-Payments: After you meet your deductible, you will begin making co-payments along with your health insurance company. While your insurance plan will cover a majority of your medical expenses, you will still be responsible for a certain percentage. This percentage changes from one provider to another and from one plan to another.

• Yearly Limits: Health insurance companies are now prohibited from setting  lifetime limits and restricted in setting annual limits on what they will pay for health care services.

• Customer Service: Although it may not seem as important as the other factors, choosing an insurance company with good customer service can save you quite a bit of time and stress. You should be able to easily reach a health insurance representative through phone and/or E-mail any time you need assistance.

(It’s probably less than what you pay for gas)

While heath insurance costs are rising, they still form a small percentage of overall household spending. Even ‘entertainment’ edges out health insurance by two percentage points, and clothes purchases match health insurance at 3 percent.

Household Spending

Please forgive the harsh, Phil Gramm-esque tone of the headline—we’re just trying to sell a few papers here (figuratively speaking, of course).

But there’s a kernel of truth to the idea that health insurance isn’t that expensive—at least when compared to other stuff. (In these troubled economic times, that’s probably a small consolation.)

But as a percentage of total household spending, insurance is surprisingly low on the list. In fact, the typical family allocates just 6 percent of its income to insurance, and that’s including all of the major types: car, home, health and life.

Health insurance in particular weighs in at a mere 3 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Compare that to transportation costs, which account for a whopping 16 percent of household expenditures, and health insurance starts to seem like a relative bargain.

The average monthly car payment is north of $400, which would be a great deal if it included gas, oil changes, tires and major repairs. It doesn’t, of course, and that’s why transportation costs eat up such a large percentage of a family’s budget.

Compare that car payment to the average premium: according to data collected by eHealthInsurance and published in USA Today, the average monthly premiums for private insurance ranged from $107 to $301 in 2007.

But …

If you’re concerned about health insurance costs creeping ever higher, you’ve got a point. Let’s look at the consumer price index (CPI), an economic indicator that measures the cost of a fixed basket of goods.

The consumer price index for health insurance rose a steep 10 percent from 2006 to 2007, a larger jump than any other item in the CPI.

And recently laid off workers who are forced to buy individual health insurance may experience some sticker shock-rates have spiked in the past year.

According to an article from USA Today, published Feb. 20, 2009, Blue Cross of California raised premiums by 30 percent for most of their policyholders, and Blue Cross of Michigan is looking to increase premiums by — get ready for it — 56 percent.

The trend may continue if the economy doesn’t pick up; as health insurers lose more of their most lucrative clients-businesses buying group plans for their employees-they will likely look to make up the difference by raising rates for private coverage.

Health Care Providers Vs Health Care Cost

How many more rate hikes (Monthly Health Insurance Premiums) can the average American afford? Blue Cross Blue Shield (Health Insurance Company) notified millions of Americans this past month that their health insurance premiums would be rising. This is the reason CareFirst/ Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Washington gave it’s members for raising monthly health insurance premiums from $333.00 to $512.00 on a middle aged, non-smoker, height weight proportionate male: “Your new rate reflects the overall rise in health care costs and we regret having to pass these additional costs on to you.”

Health insurance providers are taking advantage of consumers in advance of Obama Care taking effect in 2014.

According to publicly available profit and loss statements, The United States’ largest health care providers, such as  Wellpoint, Humana, United Health Group, Cigna and Aetna, collectively posted a net income of more than 12 billion dollars in 2009.

A Consumers Union report says that not-for-profit Blue Cross/Blue Shield groups are raising health care insurance premiums by as much as double digits to build up their cash reserves.

Consumers Union has cited the worst examples:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona raised its reserves from $648 million in 2007 to $717 million in 2009  (more than seven times the amount required in that state). During that time, individual health insurance policy rates jumped about 40 percent.

• Health Care Services Corp., which includes Blues plans in Texas, Illinois, New Mexico and Oklahoma, built up its surplus from $6.1 billion in 2007 to $6.7 billion in 2009, five times the minimum in those states.  Meanwhile, its health insurance plans’ rates rose by up to 20 percent per year.

So what’s the truth? Are insurance companies raising rates to bulk up reserves or are they raising rates in advance of rising costs they are anticipating by Obama-care, or are they raising rates because of an actual rise in the delivery of healthcare costs? It seems impossible to get a straight answer.

Dayton Home Owners Insurance – Cheapest Home Owner’s Insurance Rates

With Dayton’s economy in the state that it is in, it’s always important to have adequate home owners insurance and/or renters insurance. Get the facts about home owner insurance right here at RxHealthQuotes. Buying a new insurance policy of any kind can be hectic, but doesn’t have to be when you are a well educated, well informed Dayton home owner.

Dayton Ohio home owners need to know that you can not find cheaper home owner insurance, renter insurance, or condominium insurance anywhere. It’s important to remember that even if you are not living in a natural disaster prone area, you may still want to purchase a home owners insurance policy.

Are you a new Dayton Home buyer? Are you looking for Dayton apartments for rent? Dayton Ohio home owner insurance does not just cover homes, but it will also cover those who rent homes, apartments, condos, and townhouses. These home owner’s policies are referred to as renters insurance. If you are a renter, you will not need protection against damage to the building itself, but you will need protection against damage or theft of your personal property and any type of liability just in case someone falls or gets hurt on the part of the premises that you rent.

Free Dayton Home Owner Insurance Quote: Dayton Home Owner Quotes

Ohio Auto Insurance: Compare cheap auto insurance by getting a free Ohio car insurance rate quote. Compare quotes from top auto insurance companies like GEICO, Progressive, State Farm, & Travelers all from the comfort of your home or office.

The state of Ohio car insurance requirements are as follows: Minimum Bodily Injury Liability limits of $12,500 per injured person up to a total of $25,000 per accident, and Property Damage Liability coverage with a minimum limit of $7,500.

When you receive your free auto insurance rate quote, our system will automatically figure in Ohio’s state minimum coverage for you. Above you will see a box labeled “Instant Insurance Quotes”

1. Select “Auto Insurance” from the drop down
2. Enter you Ohio zip code
3. Press “Get Free Quotes” button
4. Compare affordable Ohio auto insurance

Which insurance company offers the most affordable insurance policies? Where can I find the cheapest insurance rates? Everyone is looking for the age-old answer to the number one asked insurance question on the planet: “Does anyone really offer low cost insurance?” The answer is simple: Yes!

All insurance companies offer low cost insurance options….Yes, I just said it!

Think about it – when you call a health insurance company to get a quote on an individual health insurance policy, what really happens? They ask you 20 questions. What is your age? Where do you live? Do you have any pre-existing health conditions? Do you currently have health insurance coverage? They know you NEED a health insurance plan.

Now, think about this for a minute. If you were attending your local summer car show, and you were looking to buy a red 1969 Ford Mustang and there were three of them side by side – same number of miles, same candy apple red color, and same engine – and seller #1 wanted $20,000, seller #2 wanted $22,000, and seller #3 wanted $25,000, what would you do? You are really attached to seller # 3’s car, but do you think he would be willing to change the sales price to be able to compete with seller #1? Or do you think he would lose the sale due to his unwillingness to move on the price? He would compete!

So, the answer to the health insurance question is….Make Insurance Companies compete for your business!

At RxHealthQuotes.com, we make insurance companies compete for your business. You simply answer a few questions and within 3 minutes you will have a variety of health insurance companies competing for you! You will have the ability to compare insurance quotes side by side from the best insurance companies in the nation. All at NO COST!

The Miami Herald recently wrote an interesting article that compared the two different versions of the health care bill. As most of you know, the Senate and House have both created their own version of the health care bill. The House of Representatives approved their version of the bill on November 7^th and the Senate approved their version on December 24^th. Now, the two parties are working together to create a compromised version of the health care bill – one that will hopefully satisfy both the House and the Senate. Currently, many of the items included in the health care bill are the same in both versions. However, there are some significant differences.

Individual Health Insurance Mandates

• The House requires most Americans to have health insurance coverage by 2013; anyone who does not obtain coverage will pay a penalty based on their income.
• The Senate requires most people to have coverage by 2014. The penalty will be about $750 per year, with a maximum penalty of $2,250 or 2 percent of household income.

Employer Health Insurance Mandates

• The house requires most large employers to offer coverage by 2013 or pay a penalty.
• The Senate will require employers with more than 200 employees to offer a health plan. However, employees can opt out if desired. Also, starting in 2014, any employer with more than 50 employees will be fined of any employees receive a federal subsidy.

Small Business Insurance Mandates

• The Senate offers tax credits for employers with less than 25 employees and average wages less than $40,000.
• The House offers tax credits for employers with less than 25 employees and average wages less than $50,000. The credits will be tied to employer contributions towards employee’s health insurance premiums.

Dependents

• The House allows dependent children to be included on their parent’s health insurance plans until the age of 27 – effective immediately.
• The Senate allows dependent children to remain on their parent’s plans until age 26 – effective six months after bill is passed.

Lifetime Limits

• The House requires plans to have no lifetime limits on health insurance coverage – effective within 6 months. After 2013, there will be no annual limit on coverage.
• The Senate also has no lifetime limits on coverage, effective within 6 months. Starting in 2014, there will be no annual limits.

Public Health Plans

• The House plans to create a government-run health insurance program.
• The Senate wants to create privately-run, multi-state plans, which will be supervised by the government.

Financial Help With Premium Payments

• The House will offer financial help for anyone with an income up to 400 percent of the poverty level – effective 2013. The amount of financial help will be based on the average cost of the tree lowest cost health care plans in the area.
• The Senate will offer help for anyone with incomes up to 400 percent of the poverty level – effective 2014. However,  the aid is based on a sliding scale and the financial aid can only be used for the health care plan with the second-lowest cost in the area.

Medicaid

• The House increases Medicaid to anyone under age 65 with incomes up to 150 percent of the poverty level.
• The Senate expands Medicaid for anyone under 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the poverty level.

Health Insurance Exchange

• The House will create a national health insurance exchange, which will allow consumers to shop for health insurance plans in all 50 states – effective 2013.
• The Senate will crate a state-wide health insurance exchange in all 50 states, which will allow consumers to easily shop for health insurance plans in their state – effective 2014.

Temporary Health Insurance Coverage

• The House will offer a temporary high-risk pool for individuals having a difficult time obtaining health insurance coverage. It will be effective immediately, and end when the health insurance exchange is established.
• The Senate will also offer a temporary health insurance pool, which would be established within 90 days. It will end in 2014, when insurers are no longer allowed to reject consumers for pre-existing conditions.

Abortion Coverage

• The House allows federal coverage for abortions where the woman was raped, a victim of incest or if the woman’s life is endangered.
• The Senate requires that states that want to allow abortion coverage not use any federal funds for the coverage.

Angela Braly, the CEO of Wellpoint, has recently spoke to the Economic Club, sharing her views on health care reform. And, as Forbes Magazine’s eighth most powerful woman in the world, people are taking notice. Although Braly admits that she fully supports health care reform, she disagrees with the current health care reform proposal. In fact, she’s most concerned about the shift in focus, noting that:

It has gone from a debate about health care reform to health insurance reform.

Braly acknowledges that changes need to be made to our health care system, and she fully supports reform that will provide reliable insurance coverage to every American, while keeping health care costs low. She pointed out the inconsistencies of the current system, noting that the current system promotes quantity over quality. Not only that, but it has put a huge burden on insured Americans. Braly goes on to explain that the discrepancies between Medicare and Medicaid payments and actual medical costs are passed on to private insurance holders. Additionally, the cost of medical care for the uninsured is passed on to private insurance holders as well – It’s not fair, and it certainly won’t work in the long run. In fact, Braly even went so far as to compare it to a current and well-known disaster:

Sounds a lot like the Fannie Mae for health care and I think we all know how that experiment is going.

Braly stands strong in her support for health insurance providers, although she does acknowledge that certain changes need to be made. With Braly’s strategy, health insurance providers need to move beyond processing claims and managing risk. Instead, they need to start encouraging healthy behaviors, providing incentives for health customers, and educating consumers about a healthy lifestyle. Private insurance providers need to work with the government to ensure that all Americans can get health insurance coverage, regardless of their income or pre-existing conditions. Health insurance plans need to be more customizable to customer’s unique needs. Braly wants insurers to offer a range of health insurance choices to customers, instead of putting everyone in a “one size fits all plan.”

However, Brady does acknowledge that drastically lowering health insurance costs is not a smart move. According to Braly, only 3 cents of every dollar spent on health insurance premiums goes towards company profits, while 87 cents go towards medical are. Braly maintains that 87 cents of every dollar is a truly significant amount to be spent directly on health care, and it would be nearly impossible to change that number much more. Braly firms her point by saying:

If you completely eliminated insurance industry profits, which is clearly the aim for some, you will pay for two days of health care in America.

But, most of all, Braly is most worried about the public health insurance option. And, in fact, Wellpoint has released a statement acknowledging their concerns about the public health plan:

WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE: WLP) is deeply disappointed with the legislation progressing in Congress. Both the bill proposed by the House of Representatives and the bill passed by the Senate HELP Committee miss the opportunity to address the underlying cost drivers in our health care system. These bills rely on price controls and government expansion rather than measures to improve the quality of health care received and access to care by the uninsured. This only serves to make health care more expensive and less accessible, threatening the stability of the coverage most Americans have today.

Braly maintains that the key to health care reform is “to fix what is broken, without breaking what still works.”

Although that statement was enough to put a huge smile on our faces, she made us even happier with her next statement:

It won’t be easy and it should not be quick.

We couldn’t agree more. Just like Angela Braly, we fully acknowledge that some form of health care reform is necessary. However, it’s going to be a huge and drastic change to our country, affecting everyone. We need to take our time, consider every option, and make sure that we know it will work. We can’t just rush something through, hoping for the best. Because what if it doesn’t work? That’s what scares us the most.

Source: Wellpoint CEO Braly Argues For Health Care Reform

The H1N1 virus has grabbed the attention of the media and just about every person in the country. However, many people do not realize that the H1N1 virus is very similar to the regular seasonal flu virus. As always, there are certain precautions you should take to avoid the spread of germs. However, we urge you not to panic about this H1N1 flu – or the Swine flu as it is commonly called. Read on to learn more about the H1N1 virus, how it is spread, and how you can prevent yourself from getting sick.

What is it?

H1N1 is a strain of the influenza virus that is causing illness in people. This new strain of virus was first detected in people in the United States in April of 2009. The virus is commonly called the “swine flu” because this virus is very similar to an influenza virus that occurs in pigs. However, new studies have shown that this H1N1 virus is actually quite different from the pig virus.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of the H1N1 virus include fever, runny or stuffy nose, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills, headache and fatigue. Diarrhea and vomiting may also occur. If the following symptoms occur, it is extremely important to seek medical care immediately: difficulty breathing, bluish color to the skin, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden unexplained dizziness, and severe or persistent vomiting.

How does it spread?

The H1N1 virus is contagious and it spreads from person to person in the same what that the seasonal flu spreads. These viruses are mainly spread through coughing or sneezing. It can also be spread by touching an object that has the flu virus on it and then touching your mouth or nose. The H1N1 virus is contagious from 1 day before getting sick until 5-7 days after.

How can I prevent myself from getting sick?

Simple, everyday actions can play a huge role in preventing the spread of germs and viruses.

• Wash your hands with soap and warm water often! Hand washing is the most important way of preventing the spread of germs! Wash your hands for at least 15 to 20 seconds each time!
• If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. It is also a good idea to carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer around with you to use while you are out!
• Be sure to always cover your mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. If a tissue is unavailable, cough or sneeze into your inner elbow, rather than into your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth or nose – these are the places where germs enter the body!
• Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.
• If you are sick, please stay home from work, school or extracurricular activities! Try to only go out if you absolutely need to or to seek medical care. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever has diminished.
• The H1N1 flu vaccine is also available. For more information about this vaccine, speak with your doctor or visit the H1N1 Flu Vaccination Resources.