3 Tips To Finding Health Insurance in Alabama

3 Tips To Finding Health Insurance in Alabama

There is a whole lot to consider when trying to track down a high quality health insurance plan. Unless you are a practicing insurance broker that works with health insurance all the time, there are a lot of key important issues that you will certainly miss.

Why finding affordable health insurance is so difficult.

There is a myriad of reasons as to why it is so difficult to find quality health insurance today. For starters, the health insurance industry is in a state of flux. There are changing rules and guidelines that are affecting the health insurance market in increasingly unpredictable ways. Our country is generally undecided about what type of health care system it truly want. Do we want a system that guarantees coverage for everyone - structured in a way similar to Medicare? Or do we prefer a system that is entirely managed by the private sector? Politicians, on both sides of the aisle are continually sniping at each other. Consumers have been caught in the crossfire.

Secondly, there are a lot less dedicated health plan brokers than there used to be - the kind of professional willing to go that extra mile to assist an individual or family find an ideal health plan for their needs. Much of the one-on-one personal service that the previous generation had come to expect, simply doesn't exist today.

The good news is, you have landed upon a first-rate source for assistance. We are experienced professionals and are happy to help. Read on for tips on how to find great health insurance coverage in Alabama. When you finish this article, be sure to give us a call.

Good to know: Just because your doctor writes you a prescription doesn't mean you can fill it. Expensive medications for treatment of certain cancers, diabetes, liver disease, and a host of other maladies can cost patients tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars if the insurer does not cover the drugs. But even if the drugs are covered, insurers have been known to try to stall, just to see if the patient will come up with the money to pay for the drugs rather than wait on the insurer's approval. What can we say? It happens.

Tip Number 1. Check with your employer

This is the logical first step. Whether your employer provides a health insurance package for their employees doesn't matter. Employers almost always have extensive knowledge concerning health insurance issues - even if they don't offer it. Bring up the subject with your supervisor. Ask what he/she knows about it. You will likely be surprised.

Group Insurance Through Your Employer

If your employer offers health insurance benefits and you qualify, your health insurance search just might be over. Find out as much as you can about their employee package, as soon as possible. There may be a time delay before you can qualify for benefits. If so, you may need to pick up a Short-Term insurance plan to cover the time that you are ineligible for coverage. Whatever you do, don't go without coverage. It's not worth the risk

What if your employer does not offer group insurance?

If your Fort Myers employer does not offer group health insurance, or the waiting period to qualify if prohibitively long, you should purchase your own private insurance. Gather what information you can from your employer and co-workers and begin your research online.

Tip Number 2. Check with the Alabama department of insurance.

Visit: Alabama Department of Insurance. Visit this government site to discover what health plans are available in Alabama. You will find a wealth of information that will help you to make a more informed health insurance plan decision.

Also visit: Healthcare.gov. This is where you can review the Affordable Care Act health plan options. You will find a wealth of information on health plans and health insurance companies that are available in Fort Myers. Keep in mind, HealthCare.gov, may not have an ideal solution for your circumstance. You may not qualify for an ACA plan, or you may have missed their relatively narrow open enrollment period.

Good to know: Ask for a discount. You can potentially reduce the cost of your medical bills by asking for a discount upfront. It may seem unconventional, but many hospitals and practitioners offer certain discounts for which you may be eligible. For example, some hospitals are part of networks that will reduce your medical bills by a certain percentage if you pay over the phone. More often than not, these discounts are only available to consumers who ask for them. Depending on your economic status or the price of your procedure, some medical facilities offer additional discounts that can be paired with your medical insurance to substantially reduce the cost of your procedure. For example, it's not uncommon for hospitals to offer discounts of up to thirty percent for qualifying customers.

Even if you don't find a discount related to your particular situation, your doctor or hospital may provide you with valuable information about discounts you can use in the future.

3. Contact a health plan specialist.

Speaking with a true health insurance specialist will be the best way to sum up all the information you acquired and turn it into a smart health plan choice. When it comes to choosing the right health care plan, knowledge and expertise are the most important factors.

Good to know: Tell the Truth on your application: Did you know that in some circumstances, health plan companies are not legally obligated to honor your policy and pay claims if you knowingly misrepresented the truth on your application? Getting your application accepted, or getting a cheaper premium, is not worth the risk of the company canceling your policy because you misrepresented the truth.

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