|
(800) 418-7442 |
Affordable Health Insurance for Peace of Mind
Many South Carolina residents might regard health insurance as an unavoidable drain on your finances. It is expensive, but to ensure that you can get the proper health care you need when you need it, it is just something that you have to have. 
Many South Carolina folks do not have health insurance coverage because their employers do not offer it and they think that they cannot afford private insurance. For this reason those people are not getting the health care they need and deserve.
Saving money when buying health insurance can help you afford the necessary medical attention that so many forfeit while, at the same time, putting money back in your pocket to help combat the soaring prices of other everyday necessities like gas and groceries.
First, you need to compare rates. Do not just call up the first big name insurance company you can think of and purchase a policy without shopping around. Instead call an independent insurance agent like myself. Independent agents have access to the best insurance plans from multiple insurance companies and at the same prices offered by those companies.
Our services are free to use and out compensation is covered by whichever insurance company YOU select.
Even if your workplace does offer health insurance, do not just assume that you will get the best coverage that way.
That said, you might be able to get a cheaper rate if you are part of a covered group (like that offered by employers), but not always. It would be a wise move to compare.
You also want to evaluate your own medical expenses and needs. It is not necessary to spend a fortune on unnecessary coverage that rarely gets used. If you are generally healthy and only need yearly check-ups and minimal medical attention, an inexpensive plan with a high deductible may be the most economically sound choice for you in the long run. However, if you anticipate frequent medical needs and several prescription medications, a more comprehensive plan will probably cost you less in the end.
You want to do your homework and make sure you are getting the most coverage possible at the lowest price out of pocket and not just settle for whatever is in front of you. Call me and do not hesitate to ask questions. The more you know, the more equipped you will be to make the best decision for yourself or for your family.
Dave Forbes, The Forbes Insurance Agency,
for the Best in Health Insurance for South Carolina call:
(800) 418-7442
Tags: Using Supplemental Plans to Offset Health Insurance Costs
While America suffers through the uncertainties involved with the new health care law and health insurance in general, it has become increasingly difficult to understand the best ways to protect yourself and your family from the rising cost of health care.
There is a variety of method for reducing health insurance cost and the path you choose will be, of course depending on your individual circumstances. A very effective strategy which is gaining in popularity is to purchase a high deductible plan and combine it with a supplementary accident and injury plan.
This methodology is an excellent means of lowering insurance premiums while continuing to maintain a sufficient level of health insurance coverage. In addition, this technique will enable you as a consumer to have greater control over the specifics of your health plan.
Purchasing health insurance “out of the box” so to speak, without creating a personalized plan can be prohibitively expensive. Choosing a plan with a high deductible is an excellent beginning. Although a high deductible plan will save you a good deal of money upfront and cover you for catastrophic events, you are liable for the deductible and even a minor emergency can take a great deal out of your pocket. However purchasing a lower deductible plan or one with all the bells and whistles is an expense many people in these difficult times cannot afford.
Increasingly, consumers are opting to purchase a high deductible plan with a gaping coverage hole in the beginning, but filling that hole with a supplemental policy which will cover upfront costs as well as smaller medical necessities. With the help of a good insurance agent (and if you’re in South Carolina, or Virginia, I hope you’ve chosen me) combining two plans in this way can make the purchase of health insurance for yourself and your family, far more affordable. In addition, you will be able to sculpt your health plan to meet your individual needs.
For those on a budget and those just wanting to get the most bang for their buck, I recommend this strategy. A medical situation requiring a lengthy hospital stay, or prolonged treatment will tap into the resources of your high deductible plan, while minor accidents and will evoke the supplemental accident and injury plan, thus insuring that you will not lose your shirt before you’ve met your deductible and your main plan kicks in. When created by an insurance professional, like myself, this can be an excellent technique for reducing your monthly premiums, while maintaining maximum health insurance protection.
Call me for a non-obligatory conversation about your health insurance options at:
(800) 418-7442 and let me help you find affordable and truly adequate health insurance coverage.
Why Health Insurance is Necessary in South Carolina
There are many reasons why having health insurance is necessary. Even if you are relatively healthy, you will need health insurance in case of an unexpected sickness or accident. An unexpected trip to the emergency room can cost more than $1000. This amount may only cover the doctor and supplies. The costs add up with other potential expenses such as x-rays that can cost up to $150, MRIs that can cost almost $2000 and CT scans that cost well more than $1000.
This is only the beginning if you end up with an affliction or have an accident that merits more treatment and a possible hospital stay. If your appendix ruptures, you are facing a surgery that costs much more than $10,000. Hernia surgery costs more than $6000. Even something that you may not expect to ever affect you can come back to haunt you when you are not prepared. Having carpal tunnel surgery means you will pay upwards of $3000.
If you play sports, you may find yourself with an affliction that affects athletes such as a damaged rotator cuff, which is common among baseball players. You can also break your leg and require treatment beyond a hospital stay that includes physical therapy. Even standard tests such as pregnancy tests, pap smears, cholesterol tests, blood sugar tests and blood counts that do not cost very much on their own can add up over time and take a large part of your income.
Your need for health insurance amplifies if you are not single, especially if you have children. You not only need coverage for yourself but also coverage for them. For instance, children face chronic ear infection and may have to have their adenoids removed. This procedure can cost about $3500. If you or your child gets pneumonia and requires a hospital stay, you may end up paying more than $8000. Major surgeries such as a coronary bypass costs tens of thousands of dollars.
Health insurance may not seem like such a big deal if you are single or still in your younger years, but it is important to be prepared for the unexpected. You can look into special policies such as catastrophic health insurance if you do not anticipate regular visits to the doctor but want to be covered in the case of an emergency. Should the unthinkable happen, at least you will not have to worry about losing your future to pay for your treatment.
Call me, Dave Forbes, at (800) 418-7442 and permit me to make health insurance in South Carolina affordable for you.
South Carolina Affordable Health Insurance: Is SC Affordable Health Insurance a Dream or Reality?
Affordable Health Insurance for South Carolina
Finding Affordable health insurance in South Carolina seems an impossible task. Yet in SC there are a number of ways of ways of making health insurance affordable. To achieve this task it might require a change in mindset and a transitioning of preconceived concepts from the past to the situation today,
In the past, it was common to receive affordable health insurance through an employer’s, Group Insurance plan., however overtime a problem emerged. Since the recipient payed nothing for benefits, every sniffle resulted in a doctor visit. Coverage, was taken for granted, and often overused, Employees took these benefits for granted, never realizing their true value. As health costs increased, employers found health coverage unaffordable and began one by one to discontinue offering group insurance.
Today, full health insurance coverage through an employer’s group plan is a rarity and citizens of South Carolina and indeed all of America are now facing the daunting task of shopping for their own medical coverage – and finding it very expensive.
Speaking with to the correct health insurance agent, in our own State of South Carolina can make affordable health insurance possible. An agent is a licensed insurance professional whose sole function is to find the most comprehensive and lowest cost health plans available, tailor-made to fit the individual needs of you and your family.
The following list offers some ways for citizens of South Carolina to save money and makes affordable health insurance coverage possible.
1. Explore your options. Pay for only what you need.
2. Raise your deductible. Deductibles can be as high as $5,000 or $10,000 if necessary to make coverage affordable. 3. Seek higher co-pays, such as 20% or 30% as your part of the bill.
4. Remember that many medical facilities (doctors and hospitals) will accept low monthly payments toward uncovered balances.
5. Ask about an HSA, (health savings account) which, in addition to providing tax benefits, enables you to control your low-end medical expenses.
6. Fact: An HMO, health maintenance organization, uses a network of doctors, specialists, & facilities.
7. Fact: A PPO, preferred provider organization, allows the choice of a personal physician & great benefits.
8. Fact: A Point of Service, (POS) Plans combine managed care with traditional health coverage… Your Agent will advise you on the best type of service organization for your needs.
9. If you are leaving an employee group plan you may be eligible for COBRA coverage.
10. An independent agent can deliver quotes from multiple insurance companies, finding the best options available.
11. Often when there is a single child and one adult, the cost of two individual policies may be lower.
12. If you are self employed, mention it to the agent, as this could create options for different medical health plans.
13. Do not assume anything in your insurance plan. Make sure it’s all in writing.
14. Are you between jobs? Your agent can offer short term SC health insurance plans.
15. If you have a high deductible plan, you have the right to refuse duplicate testing.16. Never buy accident only plans as main coverage. Purchase accident plans as a supplement to your high deductible main plan.
17. A major hospital plan is not major medical insurance. Purchase a high quality plan with limitations instead.
18. When a doctor prescribes a medication, ask for samples. They’re free to doctors and to you.
19. If the cost of a prescription is unaffordable, call the customer service department of the drug company. They often help and you’ve got nothing to lose.
20. Stand up for you rights. It is not unusual for a “specialist “to walk in you hospital room while you’re asleep and then send a bill for five hundred dollars – for nothing. Send in only ten dollars, and mention you will contest any further billing with the South Carolina state medical board. End of bill.
These twenty tips can save you some money, but to save far more and insure your continued health call me, Dave Forbes, at (800) 418-7442 and permit me to make health insurance in South Carolina affordable for you.
What You Need to Know About HSAs (Health Savings Accounts)
Originally conceived in December of 2003 and finally implemented in January of 2004, the HSA plan was created to work in conjunction with a traditional high deductible health insurance policy.
With medical costs rising out of control and health insurance premiums following suit, congress needed to do something to enable the average individual and family to continue to afford heath coverage. The HSA, or Health Savings Account was the answer.
A Health Savings Account or HSA is just like having a ordinary bank account, but works with a standard, high-deductible, individual, or family health-care insurance plan. The money put into your HSA can be used to pay for many of your health care expenses, including; money you might need before your actual health insurance coverage begins to make payments (deductible). You can also use it towards paying health care expenses not covered by your existing health care plan.
You will never lose any money left overin your HSA., Whatever balance remains annually is simply rolled over onto the next year. With an HSA, you’ll have control over how to spend your money and how best to put it to work. You can use it for health care expenses including prescription glasses, any extra trips to the pharmacy, or unexpected medication your health insurance plan may not fully cover and many over-the-counter items you not normally considered as legitimate medical expenses.
Since the money in your HSA earns interest the same as a regular bank account, it allows you to plan for your future health care needs through interest earnings. 
If you happen to change your job or even health coverage, the money in your HSA account remains and continues to earn interest.. As long as you use the money from your HSA account for eligible expenses as defined by the IRS, this money in your HSA account is tax- free! Your HSA dollars will also earn tax-free interest and there’s no minimum balance amount required.
While the Health Savings Account concept did not solve all of the problems inherent in out health care crisis, the HSA does provide relief and a manageable alternative for millions of Virginia and South Carolina residents.
If you don’t want the burden and stress of paying a lot for health insurance coverage, and want greater financial control than an HSA is definitely something you should consider.
Individual (Private) Health Insurance
Individual Health Insurance, is medical coverage that a person purchases on his own, as opposed to health insurance coverage provided by an employer or other organization. Any individual can purchase this health insurance protection for himself, a family, a parent (separate policy) or even dependent children (under 26).
Many Americans have group coverage, often health insurance coverage through their employer. Many are covered through a government program like Medicaid, or Medicare. The rest of the population must opt for private, individual health insurance coverage, in line with their own individual, specific needs and budgetary limitations. This allows them to create a policy that will not only cover specific medical needs, but allows them to control premium payments according to their unique needs and budget.
Individual health insurance coverage can be bought through a licensed health insurance sales person known as an agent, or broker (in most states the term in synonymous) Health insurance agents are available to help answer all of your specific insurance related questions, and can provide you with the specific coverage that meets all of your individual needs. You won’t be charged a fee for using their helpful servicesIt would be best to work with an independent agent. An independent agent works for you and not any specific insurance company, but has access to the best policies and rates from a wide variety of companies. He is paid through whichever company you and he choose to go with, so owes loyalty to no particular insurance carrier.
Health insurance is a bit like gambling between you and your insurance company. The health insurance company bets on taking in more of your monthly in premium payments than it will pay out for your medical costs. You are basically paying monthly just in case any medical need arises.
The extent of your coverage depends on the specifics of you policy. Some policies require co-payments, which basically required you to pay a small amount of money out of pocket for things like doctor visits and perscription payments. Your plan may also have a set deductible , which required you to be responsible for a certain amount annually before the insurance company pays dime one. The coverage and restrictions vary in accordance with your monthly payment, or premium.
You need health insurance. People often do not understand that even a single day in a hospital can destroy your life savings. Medical emergencies are responsible for more bankrupcies in America than any other factor. Call your local health insurance agent and get covered.
Finding Affordable Health Insurance Coverage
Finding Affordable Health Insurance Coverage in South Carolina and Virginia
These days even spending a few days in a hospital can cost more money than your annual mortgage payment. Obviously you need to have some health insurance coverage in place to protect your family and your assets.
With all the confusion and the choices available to you it’s difficult to know what to look for in an insurance policy.
The first thing you need to do is identify exactly what you want to get out of your health insurance. Remember, with insurance as in every other aspect of life you get you pay for. The greater the coverage, the greater the monthly premium. Decide what it is you need and discuss it with your agent who can point out the virtues or possible failings for each plan, or plan type.
Choosing an independent agent online and taking advantage of the free forms on an agent’s website will enable you to have instant knowledge of your options and potential costs. These online forms are a very effective way to compare rates and coverage. You can access our instant quote form here in the column on the left .
Whatever you do, do not base your decision on price alone or you may find that the amount of coverage you purchased to be inadequate for your actual needs. You need to establish a workable balance between costs and coverage. As an independent agent I can help with that.
After filling out an online form call me at (843) 297-8162. Let’s discuss co-pays deductibles, pre-existing conditions and maximum payouts, things you may not have considered.
Knowing your coverage, knowing what to expect can save you a great deal of anxietyand lost assets.
Understanding Co-pays and Deductibles
Understanding Copays and Deductibles
Insurance premiums in South Carolina and Virginia, as in the rest of the country continue to grow, but there are ways that you can minimize your expenditure. While it is very possible to reduce your monthly premiums it is imperative that you understand that there are trade-offs.
Two of the factors that determine the size of your premium are co-pays and deductibles.
A co-pay is the amount of money that you must lay out when you seek medical attention for a physician, for emergency room visits, or through the purchase of prescriptions. These are generally fixed numeric amounts rather than percentages.
A deductible refers to the amount of money for which you are responsible before the insurance company is payments kick in. These are generally expressed in terms of percentages. The higher your deductible to lower your premium. In other words the more responsibility you are willing to shoulder up front will determine your monthly costs.
With rising insurance costs, many people are willing to carry the smaller costs of larger co-pays and greater deductibles, knowing that should they incur large medical bills they would be fundamentally covered.
For each individual the needs are unique and so the choices will vary. Our insurance agents can help you to assess your needs and determine a proper balance between costs and coverage, thus creating a plan perfectly fitted for your needs and budget.
Call : 843-297-8162 for a free quote and consultation.