Home Featured Discussion Health Insurance Check Up (Part Two)

In this discussion: 1/25/02: Ok, enough bashing! Let's see The Good. 1/24/02 The Good, The Bad and the Ugly Let's start with the bad and the ugly! 1/23/02 Check Up On Health Insurance Choices-Part 2 1/22/02 Check Up On Health Insurance Choices-Part I From the AHCPR 1/21/02 Health Insurance-Are You Satisified?

Checkup on Health Insurance Choices (Part 2)
From the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research

Checklist: What's Most Important to You?

Remember that the most important service to be covered is hospitalization. If you are not covered for hospital care, then one sickness could cost you thousands of dollars, even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Service               Policy #1     Policy #2     Policy #3
	
-Hospital care
-Surgery (inpatient
 and outpatient)
-Office visits to
 your doctor
-Maternity care
-Well-baby care
-Immunizations
-Mammograms
-Medical tests,
 x-rays
-Mental health care
-Dental care,
 braces and cleaning
-Vision care,
 eyeglasses and exams
-Prescription drugs
-Home health care
-Nursing home care
-Services you need
 that are excluded 

Other issues that are
important to you:

-Choice of doctors
-Convenient location of 
 doctors and hospitals
-Ease of getting
 an appointment
-Minimal paperwork
-Waiting period before
 coverage begins

Which policy is best for you?

Worksheet: What Is Your Best Buy?

Using this worksheet, you can begin to make some rough estimates. Much will depend on what service you need or want, how many people are in your family, your age, and other factors. Do you need to have your eyes tested this year? Will you have a mammogram or other cancer screening test? Does your child need immunizations?

Look at your medical and insurance records from last year as a guide to what services you might use this year. Add up the actual costs to you, including premiums. Estimate what you might spend on your health care in terms of deductibles, coinsurance and/or copayments, and services that are not covered.

Compare Policy #1, Policy #2, and Policy #3 to determine which is the best buy for you.

                                             Policy #1     Policy #2     Policy #3

What is your monthly premium? 
	Individual:
	Family:
Multiply by 12 for annual cost:    

What is your deductible?
	(if there is one)
	Individual:
	Family:

What is your coinsurance rate
or copayment, if there is one?
	(Note if there is a higher rate
	 for special services, such as
	 outpatient mental health care.)

Are there any annual limits for
days or services covered and
the amount spent on you?

What is the maximum you will have
to pay out-of-pocket each year?

What is the lifetime limit,
if any,that you will be
reimbursed?

Total estimated yearly cost
to you:

Now look at the checklist of services that are important to you. Is your best buy the same policy that gives you the most services you need?

Other Types of Insurance

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 on 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 source of information on the Medicare program is the Medicare Handbook. This booklet explains how the Medicare program works and what your benefits are. To order a free copy, write to: Health Care Financing Administration, Publications, N1-26-27, 7500 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21244-1850. You also can contact your local Social Security office for information.

Some people who are covered by Medicare buy private insurance, called "Medigap" policies, to pay the medical bills that Medicare doesn't cover. Some Medigap policies cover Medicare's deductibles; most pay the coinsurance amount. Some also pay for health services not covered by Medicare. There are 10 standard plans from which you can choose. (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 policy to fit your needs. You may get another booklet, Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare, to help you in making the right choice. To order a free copy, write to: Health Care Financing Administration, Publications, N1-26-27, 7500 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

Another good source of information on the same topic is The Consumer's Guide to Medicare Supplement Insurance. To order a free copy, write to: Health Insurance Association of America, 555 13th St., N.W., Suite 600 East, Washington, D.C. 20004.

Medicaid

General information on the Medicaid program is given in the Medicaid Fact Sheet. For a free copy, write to: Health Care Financing Administration, Publications, N1-26-27, 7500 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21244-1850. For specifics on Medicaid eligibility and the health services offered, contact your State Medicaid Program Office.

Disability Insurance

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 policies are also available.

The Consumer's Guide to Disability Insurance explains disability insurance and sources of disability income to help you decide if you need this coverage. It will also help you compare your choices of policies. For a free copy, write to: Health Insurance Association of America, 555 13th St., N.W., Suite 600 East, Washington, D.C. 20004.

Hospital Indemnity Insurance

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

Long-Term Care Insurance

More detailed information is given in A Shopper's Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance. Contact your State Insurance Department or write: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 120 W. 12th Street, Suite 1100, Kansas City, MO 64105.

Another good source of information is The Consumer's Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance. For a free copy, write to: Health Insurance Association of America, 555 13th St., N.W., Suite 600 East, Washington, D.C. 20004.

A Final Word

Understanding Health Insurance Terms

Coordination of Benefits: A system to eliminate duplication of benefits when you are covered under more than one group plan. Benefits under the two plans usually are limited to no more than 100 percent of the claim.

Copayment: Another way of sharing medical costs. You pay a flat fee every time you receive a medical service (for example, $5 for every visit to the doctor). The insurance company pays the rest.

Covered Expenses: Most insurance plans, whether they are fee-for-service, HMOs, or PPOs, do not pay for all services. Some may not pay for prescription drugs. Others may not pay for mental health care. Covered services are those medical procedures the insurer agrees to pay for. They are listed in the policy.

Deductible: The amount of money you must pay each year to cover your medical care expenses before your insurance policy starts paying.

Exclusions: Specific conditions or circumstances for which the policy will not provide benefits.

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization): Prepaid health plans. You pay a monthly premium and the HMO covers your doctors' visits, hospital stays, emergency care, surgery, checkups, lab tests, x-rays, and therapy. You must use the doctors and hospitals designated by the HMO.

Managed Care: Ways to manage costs, use, and quality of the health care system. All HMOs and PPOs, and many fee-for-service plans, have managed care.

Maximum Out-of-Pocket: The most money you will be required pay a year for deductibles and coinsurance. It is a stated dollar amount set by the insurance company, in addition to regular premiums.

Noncancellable Policy: A policy that guarantees you can receive insurance, as long as you pay the premium. It is also called a guaranteed renewable policy.

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization): A combination of traditional fee-for-service and an HMO. When you use the doctors and hospitals that are part of the PPO, you can have a larger part of your medical bills covered. You can use other doctors, but at a higher cost.

Preexisting Condition: A health problem that existed before the date your insurance became effective.

Premium: The amount you or your employer pays in exchange for insurance coverage.

Primary Care Doctor: Usually your first contact for health care. This is often a family physician or internist, but some women use their gynecologist. A primary care doctor monitors your health and diagnoses and treats minor health problems, and refers you to specialists if another level of care is needed.

Provider: Any person (doctor, nurse, dentist) or institution (hospital or clinic) that provides medical care.

Third-Party Payer: Any payer for health care services other than you. This can be an insurance company, an HMO, a PPO, or the Federal Government.

Agency for Health Care Policy and Research
Page last updated on January 21, 2002