* Immunizations
* Preventive care
* Maternal and infant care
* Emergency health services
* Minor and major accidents and illnesses
Without adequate health insurance, individuals and families tend to ignore health problems and forego preventive care. Even worse, serious medical problems can send them spiraling into bankruptcy.
Low Cost Options
Traditional full coverage insurance is often too expensive for today’s employees and families. However, low-cost options are available that still provide needed coverage:
* With PPOs and HMOs, you must choose a health care provider from a specified list but your premiums are much lower than with traditional insurance.
* A Major Medical plan won’t cover routine health care needs but it gives you protection from major accidents and illnesses.
* High-deductible plans cover all your medical bills once you reach the deductible. Ideally, you combine a high-deductible policy with a Health Savings Plan in which you put away money to pay for your bills until you reach the deductible.
In addition to these options, many states have government programs to help low-income workers afford insurance for themselves and their families. See your state’s Department of Insurance website for details.
Money Saving Tips
To help you keep your health insurance costs as low as possible, follow these tips:
* Avoid tobacco so you qualify for lower rates. If you already smoke, work on quitting.
* Stay healthy by eating healthy foods and exercising regularly.
* Keep your credit rating in good shape. A poor credit rating leads to higher premiums.
* Comparison shop through an insurance comparison website. Get quotes from at least three companies so you can compare their coverages and premiums.
Where to Get Low Cost Health Insurance
Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/health-insurance.html or click on the following link to get employee and family health insurance quotes from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more tips and advice in their Articles section, and get answers to your questions from an insurance expert by using their online chat service.
The authors, Brian Stevens and Stacey Schifferdecker, have spent 30 years in the insurance and finance industries, and have written numerous articles on employee and family health insurance.