Michigan health insurance offers a wide variety of benefits for health insurance. You can choose the plan you like. Each plan varies from each other in their way to cover benefits and pay premiums.

Most people go for health insurance companies offering them services on low premium. But, it is not always necessary that the company providing low premium is beneficial for you.  You must opt the company hat not only provide best health insurance coverage but also proves to helpful in the hour of need.

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Many health insurance companies in Michigan provide Michigan health insurance plans. These companies include various plans like individual health insurance, group health insurance, small business health insurance etc.

One premium benefit of Michigan health insurance plans is that, it is beneficial in all respects. It offers health insurance facility to the people of every age group.

Many health insurance companies are providing different type of Michigan health insurance plans for different people. They may vary in their size and terms. There are mainly two types of health insurance policies. They are temporary health insurance or short term health insurance services and the other one is long-term or permanent health insurance services.

Temporary health insurance plan covers the insurer for a particular time interval say for 30 years or 40 years. It will get expired after this particular time interval. That’s why it is also known as short-term health insurance plan. Other one is permanent health insurance plan. It is known to be long-term health insurance plan because it provides health insurance to the insurer throughout his life. It is comparatively cheaper than temporary health insurance plan.

What are you waiting for? Go and grab the opportunity to have a health insurance plan that best meets your requirements.

Congress hopes that a health insurance exchange will promote transparency and accountability within the health insurance industry. This would occur because information on the many different health insurance plans from many different health insurance companies would be publicly displayed on the health insurance exchange. Customers would then be able to compare plans side-by-side. A health insurance exchange should objectively and impartially provide information for consumers using simple language that is easy to understand. Some people have suggested that the search results be randomized so that there is no alphabetical preferential treatment. In other words, if the search results are alphabetical every time, Aetna will always be seen much earlier than United Healthcare. This is not objective and impartial.

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A health insurance exchange will not function as an insurance provider. In other words, they will not be the insurer themselves. They would similarly to an insurance broker, however, without the customer service provided by licensed insurance brokers. A health insurance exchange would contract with private health insurance companies to offer their plans and policies, and to provide this information and quotes to consumers.

There were a few health insurance exchange set up already in the United States, most notably in Massachusetts (Massachusetts Connector) and Utah (Utah Health Exchange). These have been good examples for how a health insurance exchange is supposed to work. There is also a New York-based, non-profit health insurance exchange called Health Pass. However, there has also been a couple of failed health insurance exchange in Texas and California. These two health insurance exchange resulted in higher premiums, and “cherry-picking” of customers.

Obviously, it is hoped that each state will implement and administer an excellent quality health insurance exchange within each state. Some states have chosen to administer these themselves, while others have allowed the federal government to run that state’s health insurance exchange. The debate has been over how to fund this plan. Some experts believe a health insurance exchange helps facilitate the enrollment of more American citizens into a health care plan, while also providing structure and supervision to the current health insurance market.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) has set up for the implementation of the health insurance exchange, but there is still some leeway regarding how it is to be set up, and how each state should handle it. There are also questions regarding whether the federal health insurance exchange will include a government-run insurance option. Although this was originally a part of the health reform bill, it was removed before it passed.

At this time, it appears as though a health insurance exchange will provide a web portal with information and quotes about health insurance plans, which it is hoped will result in more American citizens enrolling in an affordable health insurance plan.

1. Sum Assured/Sum Insured
Health insurance is a contract where the insurance company provides a cover to the insured against the payment of premium. The amount of cover purchased is called Sum Assured. This is the maximum amount up to which claims can be made by the insured during the term of the policy (which is typically 1 year). For e.g. if you purchase a health insurance policy for Rs, 3,00,000 Sum Assured, then you the maximum amount you can claim for hospitalisation and other medical expenses as provided by the product would be limited to Rs. 3,00,000. If the hospitalisation and related treatment costs are higher than this amount, then the differential will have to borne by the insured. What can or cannot be claimed is governed by the product benefits and terms and conditions.

2. Individual vs. Family Floater
A family floater policy covers all family members (Insured, his/her spouse and children) under one single policy. The Sum Insured floats over the entire Family and a consolidated premium needs to be paid. There is a limit on the no. of children that can be included and age before and beyond which they are not covered which varies across products. Parents of the insured are typically not included in a family floater policy.

An individual policy, on the other hand, provides health insurance coverage to only the individual for whom the insurance has been purchased.

While a family floater may turn out to be cheaper than taking 2 or more individual policies, the associated cover provided is at a family level. For e.g. if you take 2 Individual policies with a Rs. 200,000 Sum Assured each for yourself and your spouse, then both of you are covered for Rs. 200,000 each. However, if you take a family floater with a Rs. 200,000 Sum Assured then this limit applies to the two of you together.

3. Cashless hospitalisation
This is a facility provided by health insurance companies under which a person can get the required treatment while the medical expenses are settled by the insurance company directly with the hospital if the hospital comes under its network subject to the treatment being one that is covered under your plan and up to a maximum of your Sum Assured. You may, therefore, also want to compare the associated network of hospitals of each insurer when comparing products to meet your needs.

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4. Maximum Renewal Age
This is the age to which the company would continue to provide you with health insurance on payment of premiums. A product that offers a higher maximum age of renewal should be considered favourably as it allows you to remain covered under a health insurance plan especially at ages when it matter the most.

5. Exclusions
Most products come with a set of defined exclusions. These are a set of conditions, ailments or diseases or causes of medical conditions that are not covered under the product terms and conditions. Any costs associated with an excluded medical condition will not be covered by your health insurance product. While exclusions vary across products the following are most common and are excluded under most products:

• Expenses arising from HIV or AIDS and related diseases, use or misuse of liquor,
intoxicating substances or drugs as well as intentional self injury
• War, riots, strike, nuclear weapon, induced treatment

It is important to review the exclusions clause of products at the time of comparing health insurance products or at the time of purchasing one to ensure that you know what would be available under your health plan.

6. Critical Illness cover
A Critical illness cover is generally available as a top-up or rider with your health insurance policy. As the name suggests, these plans cover you for certain specific critical illnesses that are pre-defined as being covered under the plan.

Under these plans, the insured is paid the Sum Assured as a lump sum amount within a few days of a critical illnesses being diagnosed. Once this lump sum is paid, the plan ceases to exist. The differences between a Health Insurance policy and a Critical Illness plan are:

• Health Insurance plans cover costs related to hospitalisation on account of any medical condition or injury while Critical Illness plans cover only pre-specified illnesses
• Both Health insurance as well as Critical illness plans are bought for a specified Sum Assured (the maximum benefit payable by the insurance company) and are typically sold for the duration of one year and need to be renewed every year.
• In case of Health insurance, you will be covered for any medical treatment or hospitalisation expenses as long as they are within your Sum Assured limit and the policy can continue for the remaining part of the year with a reduced cover (Sum Assured minus expenses claimed). On the other hand, your critical illness will pay you the entire Sum Assured once any of the specified diseases are diagnosed. You are then free to utilise this amount as per your financial needs which could be a lot more than those just related to hospitalisation.

A combination of a health insurance policy with a critical illness rider helps you meet your hospitalisation expenses for both critical illnesses or even other diseases/accidents through the health policy and can provide you with a meaningful financial protection you may require in case of a critical illness.

7. Waiting Periods
Most health insurance policies have a waiting period of that may vary from 30-90 days, during which no claims are permissible. However this doesn’t include any accidental emergencies which are usually covered from day 1. The waiting period varies with product and company and is a feature that you should compare at the time of purchasing health insurance.

In addition to this generic waiting period, there are also certain specified diseases that are not covered for specific waiting periods. These waiting periods as well as the specified diseases to which these periods apply vary across companies and products and range from anywhere between 1 to 4 years.

8. Pre-existing disease cover
Any disease or ailment already in existence at the time of purchasing a health insurance policy is termed as a pre-existing condition. All pre-existing illnesses at the time of taking the policy are generally excluded from the health insurance cover. However, in some products pre-existing illnesses may be covered after a specified waiting period. What this means is that if you continue with an insurance product (i.e. keep renewing your policy) for the specified period then certain pre-existing illnesses may be covered on the completion of the waiting period. This waiting period varies by product and insurance company.

It is always important to carefully review the products’ benefits, terms and conditions and associated features – get complete information on available choices and compare before you buy.

(c) Magi Research And Consultants Pvt. Ltd. 2010

Mandatory California Health Insurance Coverage
One of the hallmarks of the health coverage reform measures as they exist today is mandatory health insurance coverage. The proposals now under consideration mandate that every individual who can afford health insurance coverage purchase a policy to protect themselves. Under the bill making its way through the Senate finance committee individuals who refuse to purchase affordable health insurance coverage will face a fine ranging from 0 for individuals to over ,000 for high income families.

It can be a bit hard to determine the winners and losers under this scenario, but it may be safe to assume that young healthy workers who choose to forgo health insurance coverage may end up on the losing side of the equation – at least from their own point of view. Many young workers, even those who earn a good living, often choose to go without health insurance – essentially rolling the dice and assuming that nothing bad could happen to them. Of course when a health crisis does arise those young healthy workers may find themselves facing financial ruin – or passing the burden of their care on to the rest of the taxpayers.

A Public Option
There has been a great deal of debate over the so-called public option in health care reform. The public option as envisioned by President Obama and the Democrats in Congress would consist of a government run program that competes with private health insurers. The idea behind the plan is that competition will help to drive prices down and prevent some of the most egregious abuses of the health care industry.

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The winners and losers in the public option can be a bit difficult to sort out as well, but many people feel that private insurers will lose out to the public plan because the government plan will not have to turn a profit. Many who are opposed to health care reform feel that the inclusion of a public option will eventually drive private health insurers out of business. On the other hand a public option can help to make health insurance more affordable for individuals, and those who are in favor of such a plan feel that the public option will help to keep health insurance costs under control.

Coverage for Preexisting Conditions
Many observers on both sides of the aisle feel that the exclusion of preexisting conditions places an unfair burden on individuals who need to purchase their own health insurance coverage. Many consumers find themselves unable to change jobs or strike to on their own because a preexisting health problem prevents them from buying health insurance coverage on the open market. Many people with health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and a history of cancer find themselves unable to buy health insurance at all, and even when insurance is available it is often prohibitively expensive.

The plans under consideration would all prevent insurers from refusing coverage for those with preexisting conditions, and unlike many parts of the health care reform plan this change seems to have strong bipartisan support. With this proposal, the winners and losers are quite clear. Individuals with preexisting health conditions will be the winners under this scenario. And since they will no longer be permitted to refuse coverage or charge more for riskier individuals health insurance companies stand to lose – with lower profits and more risk.

Expanded Eligibility for Medicaid
Another hallmark of the health insurance reform plans making their way through Congress is expanded eligibility for Medicaid. This government program currently provides health coverage for the poorest Americans, but under the new health insurance plans eligibility would be expanded to more people. The exact requirements vary from plan to plan, but expanded eligibility for Medicaid is a big part of the health reform measures under consideration.

This expanded Medicaid eligibility will offer benefits to individuals who would otherwise be eligible for government subsides. By expanding eligibility requirements the government will provide assistance to more individuals, including those who currently make too much to be eligible but too little to afford health insurance coverage on their own. Expanded Medicaid eligibility will also be a boon to companies who provide coverage to Medicaid patients. Some of the largest health insurance companies compete in this area, and the proposed changes could offer expanded opportunities to the biggest players in this marketplace.

Some health care providers, including medical clinics, hospitals and individual doctors, could end up losing if Medicaid eligibility is expanded, especially if reimbursement levels remain at their current levels or go down. The reimbursement levels for Medicaid are already quite low, and expanded coverage could place additional downward pressure on those reimbursement rates. Anthem Blue Cross has recently come out with two new plans in California to address health care reform.

No matter which side of the aisle you find yourself on, it is important to understand the proposed changes to our health care system. Listening to the pundits can provide an unrealistic idea of what is – and is not – included in the bills, so it is important for every American to do his or her own research to determine exactly what health care reform will mean if and when a bill is passed by Congress and signed by President Obama.

Low price health insurance are programs that offers health insurance policies for a much lower value. Students, the unemployed and low-income families are the best candidates for such low cost health insurance. These people can choose from a list of low cost health insurance policies that offer coverage at a minimal price. These low cost health insurances offer low premiums compared to the other health insurance programs out there. In some of these plans, the employer pays part of the premium. It is important that, although not expensive, the plan should fit the individual’s needs. The low cost health insurance plan should also offer protection against major illnesses such as cancer and diabetes.

The disadvantage of low cost health insurance is that, because of the lower premium, there are also less benefits. The low cost health insurance typically offers basic coverage such as paying the cost of hospital, surgical, and physician bills. Operating room, diagnostic procedures, anesthesia, and laboratory expenses are usually covered also. However, individuals with low cost health insurance get very few of the great benefits that are offered by other health insurance programs such as surgical expenses including the assistant surgeon’s professional fee, ambulance service, blood transfusions, oxygen, prescription medications, and even prosthetic devices.

Student health insurance is a type of low cost health insurance, which offers insurance to full time college students between the ages of 17 to 19. The undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least nine credits to quailfy for this type of insurance. Graduate students may also apply for this type of low cost health insurance program. These students should be enrolled in a college or university that is recognized and accredited by the state. Universities and colleges usually offer this type of student low cost health insurance so if college bound, check the coverage being offered because each university’s insurance policy is different. Other low cost health insurance providers can provide student health insurance also.

The most important advantage of this low cost health insurance program is the cost. A low premium is offered. It is also recognized even if the student transfers to another university or college. The standard college student health insurance program is a low cost health insurance policy that costs less but has fewer benefits. Unbiased individual policies charge more but offer greater coverage. Visit Fadyana’s Health Insurance Care

This is where you pay an insurance company a small amount of fee called premium as a cover against your unforeseen health risks.  This is very advantageous to you because from that small amount of money that you pay the insurance company, they are able to cover you against life threatening health risks that can occur when you are not able to afford proper medication.  Florida florida health insurance has helped lower the death ratio; this is because most people die from diseases that could have treated but since you do not have the money you are forced to stay home suffering, as you cannot raise the whole amount needed in the hospital for proper treatments.

Health insurance for individual simply means that you take a cover against your own health.  This helps in lowering the burden of your family struggling to raise money for your hospital bills when you are not covered; this has helped in saving many lives.  Surely, there is nothing more precious than life; health should be given first priority.  Just take florida health insurance cover today and relieve yourself from all the burden of raising medical bills alone.  Affordable florida health insurance means cheap insurance cover that everybody is affording to pay to be covered by the insurance company no matter what amount of money you earn.  At Florida health insurance, you will get very cheap health insurance for yourself and your family.

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Health insurance for companies is where a company takes health insurance cover for all its employees, here the company you work for pays the insurance company the needed premium on behalf of its workers.  It is good because it shows that your company cares for your well-being.  This helps in improving your country’s economy as all the active citizens are covered and protected against life threatening risks, when your company takes health insurance on your behalf incase you are not feeling well, you just walk into an hospital, produce your health insurance card and you will receive all the medical treatments without paying.

You don’t have to worry about the disease you are suffering from, at Florida health insurance, you can take insurance cover against all the available diseases including HIV, AIDS, even cancer, take an insurance cover today, and all your health problems are solved.  You can even take maternity health insurance cover; here the insurance company will pay all the maternity costs on your behalf without spending a single coin.  Health insurance cover is what you need if you really love and care about your health and the health of those your loved ones.  Take health insurance cover for your family today and watch them grow without any health problem.

Have you ever thought of what might happen if one day you just wake up being very ill and you do not have any money?  Well if you are covered, you have no worries as you are protected.  No matter what you might suffer from, you are on the safe side as someone (insurance company) truly cares.  Be on the safe side by joining Florida health insurance so that you have a relaxed mind free from any worry regarding health matters.

This article is dedicated to a couple of overlooked health care options that millions of uninsured Americans can afford yet they don’t have. Spreading awareness about these options is vital in helping improve our health care crisis.

The negative affects of not having health insurance are very straight forward. You end up with medical collections that ruin your credit and tax payers cover your bill. This is one of the reasons health care costs keep going up as the insured are now under more strain to help compensate for all the uninsured. Finding a low cost health insurance alternative that actually is within your financial budget can save you from adding to this problem.

There are two plans cheaper than short term health insurance that stick out and remain ready and waiting for you to jump on. The great thing about these plans is you don’t have to worry about being turned down. Anyone under 64yrs of age can enroll. If you’ve already checked for a short term plan and can’t afford the premium then this is your solution. One of these two low cost health insurance options will be within your reach.

Your first option is a form of supplemental health care. A fixed indemnity plan pays you a fixed amount of cash when qualified medical services are needed. The coverage is very broad and for many individuals a fixed indemnity plan is all they will ever need. Only a major, life changing health condition would be enough to outweigh the protection of these plans. A fixed indemnity plan is one of the most valuable dollar for dollar health care options available today.

The plan provides network discounts like an HMO, so you save money on your medical needs. Most insurers give you a card that you use like a credit card when you need a medical service. Fixed indemnity plans are low cost health insurance plans simply because you pay the monthly premium and don’t have to worry about a deductible or co-insurance costs. There is a set cash amount credited you for each service you receive. For example, a visit to your doctor would bring you a credit. If you needed a name brand drug prescribed while you’re there, you would receive a credit for the prescription.

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The plan also covers allergy shots and immunizations, outpatient medical events, surgery, anesthesia, ground and air ambulance, emergency room or urgent care and inpatient hospital confinement. The primary insured on the plan also receives a built in life insurance policy to cover final expenses. If you’re stuck in the hospital, you’ll receive ,000 a day for illnesses and ,000 a day for injuries. As you can see, there is plenty of value in these plans, but how much do they cost you might wonder?

The cost of your premium for a fixed indemnity plan is based strictly on your age, but can also be affected by where you live. Pre-existing conditions are not covered under these plans so you’re not penalized for any health conditions including smoking. In most cases, the premiums are slightly higher than short term premiums…usually between -, depending on the deductible and co-insurance you might choose for a short term plan. As stated though, you avoid the cost of deductibles and co-insurance with a fixed indemnity plan.

For a base example, a 35 yr old male would pay 0 a month. This same male with an equal aged spouse and one child would run a monthly premium of 0, a slight discount for family pricing. By way of comparison, you could easily pay 0 just for yourself without factoring in the rest of your family or deductibles and co-insurance using a traditional health insurance plan.

We highly recommend Assurant Health’s “Health Access” fixed indemnity plan. It’s a very mainstreamed, popular choice used by many large scale companies like Wells Fargo for their employees. This is a tremendously underused health care plan that millions of uninsured people need to start considering as soon as possible.

The other option is a simple health discount plan. This is by far the cheapest route and for good reason. Health discount plans are not insurance, so technically it really isn’t low cost health insurance. Regardless, it remains at tremendous value when utilized.

You receive discounts on services you select that cover your entire family. There are three choices you can choose to receive discounts for and we will again use Assurant’s Discount Plan for this example. You can pick any combination or all of the discount options to customize your plan.

The first option is the medical discount plan which saves you up to 40% on physician and hospital services, prescriptions, dental and eye care. This option costs a month. The dental and vision plan provides discounts on a broader range of services including eyeglasses and vitamins for a month. There is also a prescription discount plan for a month that covers additional drug, hearing and nutritional care.

Combining all three plans together provides substantial discounts for your family for about a month. This is as cheap as health care plans get. The sad fact is that there a countless uninsured families who could easily afford the a month for a discount plan like this and they go without. If you can afford to combine both of these low cost health insurance options together we strongly suggest you do.

Having a fixed indemnity plan with a health discount plan on top of it makes sense. You’ll maximize your protection and still be paying far less than you would with any standard health insurance plan. It all comes down to understanding your health care options and being proactive.

You’ll need to check to see if your state will allow you to enroll in either their “Health Access” fixed indemnity plan or the Health Discount Plan as coverage isn’t available in every state.

These plans need to be utilized on a much greater level if America’s health care problem is going to start improving. Now that you’ve read this page, spread awareness!

Thank you for reading our article. We welcome you to visit our web site for more information. Our Brand Statement; “You are the best source for deciding the right health care plan for yourself and your family. Insurance agents don’t know your budget or your family’s health history. Insurance is a game of risk. Who better to judge and balance your personal risk than you?”

There are different kinds of health insurance California. It depends on the budget of the person and just what the need can be when you need it. The 2 typical sorts of California health insurance are private insurance and managed medical risk pool. Let’s figure out what they are about.

Individual health insurance is a kind of health insurance California wherein you are paying a private insurance carrier to handle yours health coverage. Blue Cross and Blue Shield are the most well known private health insurance companies in the state of california. While the two companies are synonymous in some states, in California, they work separately. They are the choice of numerous people because of their significant provider network which makes it less difficult for the person to obtain an approved healthcare professional close by. When a medical doctor is accredited, the customer will be able to take advantage of the benefits of possessing a California health insurance. The typical issue about private health insurance California is you have to be assessed in order to find out if you are eligible for this sort ofCalifornia health insurance coverage. If you are sick or aging, chances are your application will be denied because that you are regarded as a high risk. Should you pass their requirements though and you are in the perfect condition, you will obtain the key benefits of having private CA health insurance – which is having to pay a really low payment monthly.

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Another sort ofCalifornia health insurance is known as the Managed Medical Risk Pool. It has 3 subcategories. The first category is Access for Infants and Mothers or AIM. In order for a woman and her child to be eligible for this California health insurance, her pregnancy must not exceed 30 weeks and she can not own other types of health insurance such as Medi-Cal or Medicare insurance. The price will be 1.5% of the mom’s monthly income.

Health Families Program is another kind of Managed Medical Risk Pool. Additionally it is a California Health Insurance that is really an extension of AIM. Even for kids who were born in a low income family, there is no reason to be uninsured because this sort of California health insurance plan protects their health, dental care and vision insurance needs. Children that are under the age of 19 are qualify for this sort of insurance.

The Major Risk Medical Insurance Program is particularly for folks who already have a pre existing illnesses. Among the various health insurance California, this is the priciest health plan exactly because it is considered to be high risk. Basically folks who are definitely not eligible to other health insurance coverage avail of this.

Make the Most of Your Health Insurance

You can avoid many stumbling blocks if you keep certain things in mind when shopping around for a health insurance policy:

·    Understand plan coverage: If you want to choose a plan with the most benefits, learn to understand your plan. If a plan covers hospitalization and doctor’s office visits, make sure it covers your current illness too. For major medical coverage, go for a plan that can meet big expenses. If you are a young woman, ensure that your plan offers maternity benefits. If you are an older person, you should check if your health insurance would continue after your retirement, and if your spouse would enjoy dependent status even when you stop working. 

·    Understand your deductible: Your health insurance deductible is the amount that you have to pay every year for your healthcare before your insurance payments start. It covers surgery, hospitalization, and blood tests. Once you reach your deductible, you don’t have to pay anything, or you share the rest of the expenses with the insurer up to your out-of-pocket maximum. If you rarely use medical care, opt for a high deductible plan so that you have a lower premium.

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·    Understand out-of-pocket expenses: It is important to understand what you have to pay out-of-pocket for your healthcare. The out-of-pocket maximum is the total amount you pay annually for healthcare. See if your deductible is included in the out-of-pocket maximum.

·    Save on taxes when you spend on healthcare: A high deductible health plan (HDHP) is what you need to buy if you want to enjoy the Health Savings Account (HSA) advantage The money that you put into a HSA pays for your medical expenses and is tax-free.

·    Consider prescription drug coverage: See if you have coverage for expensive prescription drugs. Many drugstores also provide antibiotics free of cost.

·    Easily renewable plan: See if the health insurance plan guarantees renewal of your coverage without troubling you for proof of your good health status.

·    Buy a plan from an established provider: Buying a comprehensive plan from an established insurance provider would ensure better rates as well as durability. Check out the ratings of insurance companies, compare companies, and examine complaint ratios.

·    Compare more than just rates: – Don’t just compare rates. Make sure the company has a good reputation for settling claims.

·    Update your coverage: When you buy a policy, make sure you evaluate and update your coverage every year to incorporate births, marriage or divorce, adoption, and other life changes.

·    Retain your own insurance policy until employer-sponsored insurance starts: If you are new in a job, remember that the health insurance plan your company offers may not start until after a few months. So take care to keep your existing health plan till then.

·    Compare agents: Do some serious research on health insurance agents who can help you buy a suitable plan. See if they will listen to your concerns. Ask them to explain the fine print in the policy. Explore their websites to understand the services they offer and ask them how they can help you make the right decision.

·    Buy insurance when you are young: Buying insurance when you are young and have dependents is wise. It is easier to qualify for insurance when you are young, and rates would be lower too. Trying to buy a policy when you are middle-aged and faced with a serious ailment is difficult. 

Expert Guidance Helps

Reliable independent insurance agents can guide you through the entire process of choosing the right policy and avoid errors when you buy health insurance. They help you get quotes, compare them, understand the fine print and find a plan to suit your needs and budget.

Till only a decade back, group health insurance was associated with government organizations, public sector companies and very large corporate organizations. Today every other organization is covering employee health; some of them cover even the families of the employees. A healthy trend as it is, it ensures tax benefits to the employer, and a sense of satisfaction to the employee.

Group insurance is variable as per the employer. Some may be comprehensive covers; others may be barebones with only the basic health cover and they can be anything between these two extremes. So asking for what it covers is valid.Besides, having private health insurance has some definite advantages over the employer provided health cover.

Who does health insurance cover

The first most important thing to know is who all are or can be covered under the employer health policy. It can be for the employee only or it can be self spouse and kids. Some have the option to cover parents under the same policy as well.

Private health insurance allows you to cover every single person of your family individually or in a family floater policy depending upon your requirement.

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How much cover are you entitled for

The health cover slabs vary with seniority and designation in the organization still it is important to know how much cover you have. If you are not comfortable with the employee health cover, you may want to take a personal health insurance.

With a private health insurance you have the flexibility to choose the amount of cover you want. The only thing you need to consider is the premium that you can afford or wish to pay.

Which medical conditions does the insurance cover

Some employers offer a rather comprehensive insurance that covers anything and everything that can be included in a health insurance. They might even cover maternity and pre-existing diseases which are usually excluded. Others may be barebones that cover only the basic cost of hospitalization or may not cover pre existing diseases etc.

A very basic health insurance provided by many employers may not be sufficient. Private health insurance is standard with their standard inclusions and exclusions and different premium slabs for different age groups covers. You can choose the plan suitable to you.

What happens when you retire

Most employers will terminate health insurance as soon as you retire unless they have a specific policy for their retired employees. At that age you would have crossed the entry age for most health insurance companies. Those allowing might not cover any pre-existing disease and the premium would be very high.

With a private health insurance, you cross all the waiting periods by the end of fourth year. You are fully covered for all medical situations that can be covered under health insurance. Taking a private health insurance along with the employer provided will ensure ample cover after you retire.

Health cover during breaks in employment

This covers two scenarios 1) Break in employment due to termination or job switch 2) Change of employer. If there is a break in employment, you are not covered during that time. Your new employer may not be providing health insurance. Your employer may even decide to change the health cover policy provided to the employees.

A parallel private health insurance to the one provided by the employer fills the gap. You are sufficiently covered even during the breaks in employment. 

Most insurance experts believe that one should have a private medical insurance despite having a group mediclaim offered by employers. This is to make sure that one is adequately covered in the time of need and during uncertain employment times.