Medical Insurance

Medical insurance is an absolute necessity today. With the cost of health care continuing to rise, even the smallest of accidents can send someone into financial ruin. Any kind of medical insurance is helpful, but the better coverage an individual or family has, the better protected they will be.

Most people obtain medical insurance through an employer. Because the employer is part of a larger group, the rates offered are better than you will find purchasing insurance on your own. Some employees opt to purchase additional medical coverage in addition to what they already have. The reason for that might be because what the employer has to offer is not quite adequate for their needs.

Each state provides a health care plan for those who are considered uninsurable, because everyone is entitled to medical insurance. Those that take advantage of a state run plan may have a pre existing condition that prevents them from obtaining health care coverage or they may be collecting unemployment. They may also suffer a disability and there is no other health care option available.

` Medical insurance is available through employers and those that have such an option should take advantage of it is generally more cost effective to be part of a group plan than purchasing medical insurance on an individual basis.

If you find yourself purchasing medical insurance on your own and not with the benefit of a group plan, you may want to consider a high deductible, low premium plan if you are healthy and do not see a doctor very often. Those plans are called catastrophic plans and do not cover routine and preventative checkups. They have a high deductible that can be anywhere from $500 on up to the thousands of dollars, but they will save you money in the long run if you do not visit the doctor. In the event of illness or injury the plan is in place to cover expenses beyond your deductible. Keep in mind the deductible must be paid before the benefits of the medical insurance plan begin.

There has been a great deal of discussion about health care reform by the current presidential administration to make medical care as affordable as possible. Some states even mandate each individual be part of an approved health care plan or are fined for not having approved health care coverage.

Insurance companies both big and small offer medical insurance plans of all levels and coverage. Medical insurance is not an off the rack commodity and no one plan fits all your medical needs. Most medical insurance plans are generic enough that parts of most plans will fit just about anyone.

Before signing on with a medical insurance plan, test the customer service. Contact customer service with a few questions and check how long it takes to get a response and an answer. They may respond right away to let you know they received your message, but it will be a true test of customer service to get an answer in a timely manner.