Get The Most From Your Health Insurance
Selecting the right health insurance is one of the biggest decisions you will make in your life. In order to know what to look for in a health insurance company you must educate yourself and learn about the health coverage provided by different insurance companies. Apply the advice from this article and you'll have no trouble choosing the right insurance plan for you.
In order to lower the cost of your health insurance, consider establishing a savings account for your health care expenses. Use this account to pay for prescriptions and various medical expenses. Contributions to such a plan can be deducted from pretax income, which can save you a large amount of money.
Health insurance can be expensive if you have to pay for it yourself and don't have an employer who offers a group policy. Short term medical insurance can cover you for six months to a year, while you find something else that works for you. It will protect you in the event of a major illness or injury and is often very affordable.
Long-term care health insurance can help cover the cost of assisted-living facilities for the elderly. It can be expensive or impossible to get if you wait until you need coverage. The time to buy is when you are in your fifties, and it's best to look for a policy that provides protection against future cost hikes.
Help keep your portion of health insurance costs low by taking advantage of perks your employer may offer. For example, a company may offer a rebate of the cost of one monthly premium when you provide proof of a preventative checkup. Read your employee manual or talk to HR to see what incentives your company offers.
If a health insurance company representative asks you a question to which you do not know the answer, tell them so. There is no shame in telling them that you are unsure of what they are asking, and they should call your physician to get the proper answer. They may seem frustrated, but that's okay. Don't let it bother you.
When purchasing health insurance make sure that the underwriting terms of the insurance policy meet your requirements. Many health insurance provides now exclude all pre-existing medical conditions. Make sure that you fully understand the financial and health implications of this restriction when considering whether the health insurance policy is suitable for you.
When considering your health insurance options, look at the reputation and security of each company. If a company lacks in reputation, or is not secure, they might not be able to pay for claims submitted. A company that cannot pay your claims isn't worth a dime. So even if they are the cheapest option, they might not be the best.
To save money on your health insurance deductible, opt for generic prescriptions. This is especially helpful if your plan does not cover any medications. Generic drugs have the same active ingredients as name brand, but they only cost up to pennies on the dollar in comparison. Stop overpaying for your prescription medications.
Learn the strict coverage details of your health insurance policy. While your policy may state that it covers emergency visits, some hospitals and doctors charge separately for your care. Your policy may cover the hospital's charges, but not the doctor's. If you are unsure about how your company handles this, call them and ask.
Having health insurance is important. Health care costs can be expensive, especially if you need an emergency surgery or are in an accident. Routine visits can also add up quickly. Health insurance gives you piece of mind, knowing that if something happens, your pediatric telemedicine insurance will help cover the out-of-pocket expense.
When moving states, check with the state's insurance website to see what the rules are there and which companies are offering health insurance. You should also find out if the state offers a discount insurance option to low-income families, if you qualify. Don't forget to ask your current insurer if your coverage will go with you if you move!
You never want to start shopping for health insurance without knowing what is very important to your venture first. There are several things to know about health insurance and the providers today, so make sure you use the tips in this article to get a better policy at the best time possible.
Telehealth changing care from outer space to local clinics
A coach for the Detroit Red Wings hockey team beams an ultrasound image of a player's ankle from the locker room to a nearby hospital. Doctors diagnose a fracture.
A similar ultrasound device, miles above on the international space station, peers into astronauts' chests and examines how their lungs weathered a recent spacewalk.
Welcome to the world of telehealth. Those examples are a few from the field, more narrowly defined as telemedicine. Telehealth uses digital technology to project a doctor's presence in places as different as rural Kansas and outer space, without the patient ever stepping into a physician's office.
Telehealth made a shaky debut in the early 1990s, when high costs, regulatory barriers and plodding Internet speeds hampered its acceptance. But today, improved technology and falling costs have made innovations like videoconferencing, home medical monitoring and digital records available to more Americans.
It has even become a White House priority.
"The 21st century health care system is using a 19th century paperwork system," President Bush said during an address last month in Baltimore.
Bush cited the subject in his State of the Union address this year, asking Congress for $100 million to improve health care information technology. A presidential committee has said it will release a report in June recommending that federal agencies make it an integral part of the nation's health care planning.
Interest in better medical oversight has spiked since a federal study in 1999 estimated that 98,000 people die annually from medical errors that occur in hospitals -- some of which could be prevented by computerized systems to check prescriptions, monitor drug interactions and offer better access to records.
"Patients will be the greatest winners," said Jeffrey Dunbar, who founded a telemedicine firm in the mid-1990s and now works for Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. "The technology has come a great way ... We have taken a quantum leap in the past five years."
https://edition.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/05/10/tele.health.final/index.html
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZiSk2MOF17UdugnGNqOAojsLDrM0Qu-pLwshdGqch_M/edit?usp=sharing