Health Insurance Information That Will Change The Way You Think
Many American citizens and residents are unable to afford health care, or at least that is what they believe. This can be one of the most important decisions of your life, so it is incredibly important that you are able to find the health insurance you want. The tips in this article should help you get started.
When purchasing health insurance make sure that the underwriting terms of the insurance policy meet your requirements. Many health insurance provides now exclude all pre-existing medical conditions. Make sure that you fully understand the financial and health implications of this restriction when considering whether the health insurance policy is suitable for you.
When considering a health care insurance plan from your employer, be sure to check out any possible perks that they may provide. Many times, you may get a discount for being a non-smoker, discounts off of exercise equipment, or discounts for local gyms and recreation centers. You may even qualify for a discount simply by answering a provided questionnaire regarding your health habits.
When purchasing auto insurance, you can keep costs down by naming your spouse, if you have one, as a driver on the policy. Many insurance companies will first offer a discount for a combined policy rather than holding two separate policies for the same household. Plus, marriage is seen as a stabilizing effect that reduces your risk.
When you are looking into purchasing your own health insurance, you should sit down and make a list of things that are important to you. You need to consider whether or not your current doctor will be in the network. When you have made a list, it will be easier to start your research, especially if you know what their customer service is like or how much of a premium you can afford.
When choosing a health insurance policy, look into the quality of the company. The company that holds your policy should be able to back it up. It is good to know if the company you have chosen will be around to take care of any claims you may have.
Be sure you regularly assess your health insurance needs over time so that your coverage accurately reflects what you need now. For example, young single adults without children generally have lower healthcare costs than adults with families, so perhaps for them, an HMO makes more choice in the beginning, while a PPO may make more sense for an adult with an established family.
If you don't have a credit card, ask if you can pay for your pet health insurance with a debit card, by check, or by having monthly payments deducted from your checking or savings account. Just as with human health insurance, you may get a discount if you can pay for several months or a year in advance.
It is important to consider the cost of health insurance before you sign with a particular company. Some companies require you to pay a certain amount of money before your coverage will kick in. This is something that is important to know in the event of an accident or injury. You should ask your insurance agent about the beginning date for your coverage.
Use the resources available to you. There are several websites online that allow you to privately input your family's information, and use it to compare health insurance policies and prices. This can be extremely beneficial to those who may not have the time to shop around for this information on their own.
To save money on your health insurance deductible, opt for generic prescriptions. This is especially helpful if your plan does not cover any medications. Generic drugs have the same active ingredients as name brand, but they only cost up to pennies on the dollar in comparison. Stop overpaying for your prescription medications.
If you are self-employed, you can deduct what you pay for health insurance from your taxes. Keep this in mind when you are comparing quotes. You are going to pay here money towards you taxes anyway, so why not subscribe to an expensive plan that could benefit you in case of medical problems?
If you want to be sure that you know what you are going for as you begin shopping for health insurance, you will want to get a few good tips in your head. It may not be the right time or the time could not be better, so be sure that you are using this advice to get the right policy at the right time.
Five times you should definitely go to the ER
You feel a dull ache in your chest and are unusually short of breath
Can you be too fit for a heart attack?
Can you be too fit for a heart attack?
Think about: A heart attack. Everyone knows that crushing chest pain is a hallmark of a heart attack. But that shouldn't be the only symptom on your radar. Signs can be more subtle in women than in men, says Heather Rosen, MD, medical director of UPMC Urgent Care in North Huntingdon, Penn. As a result, young women tend to brush off early symptoms and avoid seeking help, sometimes mistaking the pain of a heart attack for indigestion or acid reflux. Watch out for uncomfortable pressure in your chest (not necessarily in the middle—and not everyone experiences this), as well as non-chest pain symptoms, such as discomfort in one or both arms, nausea or dizziness, which are more common in women, per a study in JAMA Internal Medicine. Cold sweats, shortness of breath, and pain in the back, neck, shoulder, or jaw are other possible symptoms.
What to do: Anytime you suspect a heart attack, "err on the side of caution and call 911," advises Dr. Rosen. Once the ambulance arrives, the paramedics can perform an EKG and give you aspirin or another treatment en route to the hospital. Don't go to urgent care or your family doctor; they won't be able to run the necessary tests to evaluate your heart.
You're doubled over with abdominal pain
Think about: Appendicitis or an ovarian cyst. Belly pain can be caused by anything from a bad fish taco to a chronic condition like ulcerative colitis, making it difficult to recognize a true emergency. Confusing matters more, appendicitis doesn't always start with the classic pain in the right lower quadrant of your abdomen. You might have pain around your belly button, be queasy, lose your appetite, or feel discomfort when you move, explains Dr. Fix. "These are all signs of an irritation of the lining of your abdomen, which can signal that something serious is going on," she says. The pain can feel smoldering but will usually get sharper and more severe—think pain you've never felt before.
https://edition.cnn.com/2016/09/02/health/go-to-emergency-room/index.html
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1epF3asROLV-VbQsc3q4D-KoTPNFSY6wW-ygZRY4xrAo/edit#slide=id.gb305dd1d5e_0_6