How to do your taxes, how to start & manage your retirement plan, and how to select a health insurance plan. These are just a few things they don’t teach you in college — but they should. As a young adult, you already have a lot of new responsibilities like getting a job, paying your bills, renting an apartment and the list goes on and on. So if you’re young and healthy, why should you invest in a health insurance plan? You probably rarely see a doctor anyways… The truth is that getting a health insurance plan could actually save you money in the long
How to Select a Health Insurance Plan
When it comes to selecting a health insurance plan, it is certainly not “one size fits all” or even “one size fits most” for that matter. There are a variety of factors to consider such as your age, your career, your family, whether you’re planning to start a family, your medical history, your prescriptions, and more. That’s why we’ve outlined the top things you should consider when selecting a health insurance plan so you can ensure you’re getting a plan fit for your specific needs. Download Our Free Guide On How to Select a Health Insurance Plan Step 1: Determine how you’ll be getting a
5 Things to Consider When Choosing an Insurance Agent
For many businesses, health insurance can be complex, difficult to navigate and tough to understand. There are constant updates because of policy reform that you have to stay on top of. Carriers will often make changes to the benefit plans including what’s covered within the plan and costs associated with it. Lastly, what your employees need or want in a health insurance plan will often change over time. As people age, start families, or have children, their health insurance needs change — as does the importance of getting coverage to protect yourself, your employees, and the ones they love. Working with an insurance agent can
5 Reasons You Should Educate Employees on their Benefit Plans
Education, especially when it comes to understanding one’s health benefits, is extremely important. How else will your employees be able to appreciate the value of having a company benefits plan if they don’t know how it works? Here are 5 reasons you should educate employees on their benefit plans. 1. Appreciate the Value of Having a Company Sponsored Health Plan Not all employers offer health benefits, but most employees are looking for companies that do. Health and wellness is a huge part of the workplace today and it can greatly improve company culture. By explaining to employees the different benefit plans offered, it can help them
Survey Shows Majority of Companies View Health Insurance Brokers & Agents as Valued Partners
Opportunities for Brokers Evident as Health Reform Takes Shape By: TNS Published: Thursday, Jul. 14, 2011 – 10:06 am NEW YORK, July 14, 2011 — /PRNewswire/ — The importance of health insurance brokers and agents over the next three years — especially those who specialize in employee health benefits — will be increasing sharply in the eyes of middle market decision makers. This is based on a recent survey, conducted by TNS, a world leader in market information. According to the study, almost two-thirds (63%) of companies surveyed view their employee health insurance broker or agent as a valued partner with 33% describing them
Enrollment Up in High-Deductible Health Plans
By Emily P. Walker, Washington Correspondent, MedPage Today WASHINGTON — Enrollment in high-deductible health insurance plans that are tied to health savings accounts (HSAs) grew by nearly 14% in the past year, according to America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), an industry trade group. As of January 2011, 11.4 million Americans are covered by high-deductible plans, which are eligible to be coupled with an HSA that can be rolled over from year to year and can be used at any time to pay medical expenses. AHIP, which takes an annual census of enrollment in HSA-eligible plans, found that enrollment in the plans has nearly doubled over the
Pros & Cons of California’s Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP)
What is a Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP)? The Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan is a federal program that offers health coverage to medically-uninsurable individuals who live in California. This federally-funded health coverage program is the result of federal health care reform and is meant to help individuals who are unable to obtain traditional, individual health insurance due to a pre-existing condition. To qualify for the PCIP, a person must: Be a California resident Have no health insurance coverage for the past 6 months prior to application date Be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or lawfully present individual Provide a social security number Have been denied
Provider Networks: What are they & why are they important?
What is a provider network? And why is it important to you? Provider networks are groups of doctors and medical facilities contracted to perform medical services at a discounted rate for the members of health insurance plans. The participating doctors and medical facilities in a provider network are referred to as “in-network.” Conversely, doctors and medical facilities not participating in the provider network are considered “out-of-network.” Participating doctors and facilities vary from network to network, as well as carrier to carrier. The benefit of provider networks is that if you choose to see an in-network provider you can take advantage of the providers discounted rate
Cancer prevention: 7 tips to reduce your risk
Concerned about cancer prevention? Take charge by making small changes in your daily life, from eating a healthy diet to scheduling regular cancer screenings. By Mayo Clinic staff You’ve probably heard conflicting reports about cancer prevention. Sometimes the specific cancer-prevention tip recommended in one study or news report is advised against in another. If you’re concerned about cancer prevention, take comfort in the fact that small changes in your daily life can make a big difference. Consider seven real-life cancer prevention tips. 1. Don’t use tobacco Using any type of tobacco puts you on a collision course with cancer. Smoking has been linked to various
The Top 10 Health Insurance Companies in California
The 10 biggest health insurers in California are listed below, ranked by market share according to the latest data available from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in early 2011. Rank Insurer #1 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. #2 Blue Cross of California #3 Health Net of California, Inc. #4 California Physicians’ Service #5 Pacificare of California #6 Anthem Blue Cross Life & Health Ins. Co. #7 Delta Dental of California #8 Aetna Health of California, Inc. #9 Unitedhealthcare Ins. Co. #10 Aetna Life Ins. Co. Source: US Health News