Looking for the right health insurance company for your needs can be a very tough order. If you have been collecting information from a number of health insurance companies, you may be more than overwhelmed with all the information that has been presented to you. Instead of throwing it all aside and hoping there will come a day when you can sort it all out, you should start with doing some work from your side before you try to understand what they are trying to sell to you.NecessitiesThe first thing you need to know about health insurance is what your necessities are. If you don’t know what you need from an insurance company, it doesn’t matter how many pages of health insurance material you read, you still won’t know what you need. Start by making a list of the things you want to get from your health insurance. Do you want low deductibles so you have less out of pocket? Maybe you want to be able to stay with your doctor? Whatever your needs are from a health insurance plan you should have this list set and ready to go.Where Are TheyLocation is very important when it comes to health insurance. While you may not realize it, the offerings of insurance companies differ from state to state. Most of the reason is that there are different laws dictating what insurance companies can and can’t do in various areas of the country. This means you need to make sure the insurance companies you are considering actually serve your area, or you could be wasting your time.Claim ProcessHow are the claims for the insurance filed? Most companies have your claims filed automatically through the doctors office so all that you get is a rundown of services rendered at the end of the month and what they paid out. However, not all insurance companies run like this. Some want you to pay for the services up front, submit a reimbursement request and then get paid back. This is not only a lot of paperwork, but can be a financial hardship if you have a lot of medical bills to pay.Try It OutBelieve it or not, you may be able to try out a health insurance plan for a few months without being locked into a commitment. Think about all the industries that offer an introductory trial period. Once you start to find the insurance companies you think are best for you, ask about the possibility of a trial period. While you will have to pay the premiums during this time, if you don’t like the coverage you are getting, they will then let you out of the contract and you can find a better option.
Posts Tagged ‘company’
4 Tips to Deciding on a Health Insurance Company
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010Medical Tourism – How to Pick a Medical Travel Company
Saturday, June 26th, 2010Google any of the most-searched terms for medical tourism industry – medical tourism, medical travel, and overseas health care – and you’re going to find a lot of links to medical travel facilitators. With all of these medical tourism companies out there, how can you differentiate between the reputable companies that have done their due diligence about their network partners and who have a proven track record of putting their patients’ first, and the fly-by-the-night companies looking to make a quick buck off of you? Here are a few key points to look at when considering which medical travel company to use:Transparent pricing – Before you sign any commitment, you should receive a detailed account of the price you can expect to pay. Some companies break down the price, so you know how much each aspect of your medical journey will cost. Others lump it all into a package price. However they price it, you should be aware of exactly what costs will be covered. Most reputable companies will at the minimum cover the following in the price they charge you: -Transmittal of your medical records to the surgeon for review -Assistance in arranging any passports or visas you may need (although the fee to acquire these documents will generally be extra) -Procedure price (inclusive of doctors’ fees, hospital fees, and medications associated with surgery) -Hospital Room and three meals a day for you and a companion for a specified number of days after surgery -Flight arrangements -Hotel costs -Transportation to and from the airport -Transportation to and from the hospital for pre- and post-operative care You may also pay extra for additional amenities such as a cell phone, but this should be clearly stated in your contract.Communication with your surgeon – A good medical travel company should offer you a free conference call with a surgeon before you have made any financial obligation to go. This benefits you by letting you discuss the different treatment plans available based on your condition. You will be able to determine whether you feel comfortable with the surgeon and with the surgeon’s medical philosophy. Some medical tourism companies will require a certain degree of commitment before scheduling the conference call. MedTrava, for example, prefers to have patients submit any medical records they have and fill out a medical evaluation form. This allows the surgeon to review your records and to direct his comments specifically tailored to your case, making the call much more valuable for you. Having a conference call with a prospective surgeon does not indicate any obligation on your end. With a reputable medical travel company, if you do not feel comfortable with the surgeon you should be able to ask for a conference call with a different surgeon, or if you choose to seek care elsewhere you can request the return or destruction of your medical records. Complimentary conference calls are a service provided by good medical tourism companies to help you-the patient-feel comfortable about your decision to go abroad for medical care.References: In addition to setting up a call with a surgeon, your medical tourism facilitator should offer to put you in touch with one of their former patients. Not only will it reassure you that the company has successfully arranged medical tourism packages before, but it will give you a first-hand account of what to expect from your overseas surgery.Money-back guarantee – If at any point during your medical travel journey – prior to actually having the surgery – you decide not to go through your planned surgery, a good medical travel facilitator will refund you all of the money you have paid, except for the expenses you have already incurred (airfare, hotel, etc.) Your medical tourism company should have enough faith in the doctors and hospitals in their network that they should be willing to offer you this guarantee. It’s in our best interest to make sure our patients return home satisfied – even if that means allowing you the option of bowing out of surgery if you don’t feel comfortable.In-country patient care manager – One of the benefits of using a medical travel company for your overseas surgery is the reassurance that you will have someone to rely on for any issues or questions you have. All medical travel facilitators will have a patient care manager to answer your questions and help you out before you set off on your journey. But you should choose a company that can offer you a patient care manager in the country you’re traveling to. That way, you’ll have a point-of-contact, someone you already know in your destination country. If you ever have any communication issues, you can give them a call and ask them to translate and advocate for you, and they should also visit you in the hospital to check up on you.Post-operative care – Some medical tourism companies consider their job done once you’ve returned to your home country after surgery abroad. The distinguishing factor of a really good medical travel company is one that promises to follow up with you after you’ve returned and who will assist you as much as possible with any questions or issues you have afterwards._____________________________________________ So go back to the Internet and get a few phone numbers of medical travel facilitators. Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and give them a call (a few even have someone available to answer the phones 24/7) and ask them the questions in the list below. Remember, you as the patient are in the driver’s seat, so make sure you use a medical tourism company that gives you the care you deserve. -What charges are included in your price quote? -When will I be able to speak with the surgeons you recommend? -Will you set up a call for me with one of your former patients? -What is your refund policy if I decide not to go through with my planned surgery? -Do you have a company representative based in the country I’ll be traveling to; if so, what support can I expect to receive from them? -What happens after I return home? Will you still be available to me for any questions I have regarding my recovery?
Introduction Of Health Insurance In India – Mediclaim Policy In India – Health Insurance Coverage – Health Insurance Company In India
Saturday, February 13th, 2010Introduction of health insurance in india
In mid 80’s most of the hospitals in India were government owned and treatment was free of cost. With the advent of Private Medical Care the need for Health Insurance was felt and various Insurance Companies (New India Assurance, National Insurance Company, Oriental Insurance & United Insurance Company) introduced Mediclaim Insurance as a product.According to recent news report Health insurance continues to be the fastest growing segment with annual growth rate of 55%. Health Premium has risen to Rs. 3300 crores in 2006-2007. As per the recent reports from various agencies the Health sector has the potential to become a Rs. 25000-crore industry by 2010.On August 15, 2007 Prime Minister has announced Rs 2000 Crores for Health Insurance for poor citizens. We foresee that this amount will be partly in form of subsidy therefore during calendar year 2008 we can expect Health Insurance premium to touch figure in the range of Rs 10,000 Crores.
In 2001 with entry of various private Insurance companies now the customers have choice of buying this insurance from 14 Insurance companies.The Companies, which offer Health or Mediclaim Insurance, are; Apollo DKV Insurance Company Limited.Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company LimitedCholamandalam MS General Insurance Company LimitedFuture Generali India Insurance Company LimitedHDFC General Insurance Company Ltd.ICICI Lombard General Insurance Limited.IFFCO Tokio General Insurance Company LimitedNational Insurance Company LimitedNew India Assurance Company LimitedOriental Insurance Company LimitedReliance General Insurance Company LimitedRoyal Sundram Alliance Insurance Company LimitedStar health and Allied Insurance Company LimitedTATA AIG General Insurance Company Limited. (Overseas Health Insurance only)United India Insurance Company LimitedUniversal Sompo General Insurance Company LimitedIndia is the only country where hospitalization insurance policy was being sold as Mediclaim Insurance Policies. The very name gives a feeling to the insured that claim has to be lodged. If motor insurance policy is not sold as motor insurance claim policy and household insurance policy is not sold as household claim policy then why this be named as Mediclaim?Health Insurance and Mediclaim are two different names for the same product. The change has started coming and now we have started calling it Health Insurance. ICICI Lombard has even named it as Health Insurance Policy.Calling is as Health Insurance is a positive way of looking at this Insurance. It also giving us a feeling that we as a society have started moving from curative medical care to preventive medical care.
The Face of AMERICA – BINGO! It has been called “keno”, “screeno” and “beano.” Its most vommon name, “bingo,” was coined by a toy salesman in 1929, and bingo has been coining money for sweet charity ever since. Organized bingo thrives today in church auditoriums, on military installations and at carnivals – even though it is illegal in most states. Robert Meyner’s probingo plank was a real factor in his successful bid for the governorship of New Jersey in 1953. That same year in New York, Governor Dewey vetoed a bingo bill – but the voters soon overruled him. Today, bingo fans in the Albany-Schenectady area are able to get a little action at the weekly game run by the Village of Colonie Volunteer Fire Department. Some 300 players spend more than two dollars each for a little excitement and a chance at cash prizes of up to $125. The net “take” buys improvements for the fire company and rescue squad. The most avid fans are the matrons of the community. They stop playing when a fire or ambulance siren sounds, but as the wail diminishes, the game resumes in earnest. Down-state, in aplace called Brooklyn, the girls take their bingo even more seriously: Last year 1500 players were involved in a near riot at a hospital-benefit affair when they suspected that No. 36 was missing from the number scrambler. Photograph by George Burns. ….. 1959 Saturday Evening Post Picture, A5862A. 19590926
Saturday, February 13th, 2010Product Description
This Item is an original 2 page Magazine picture, taken from a vintage magazine of the year indicated. The picture is suitable for framing and displaying in your home or office. The scan of this item was taken through plastic film, however it is an accurate representation of the item. The nominal size is 21.0 inches by 14 inches.
