Health Insurance, what does it mean?

Your health insurance policy is an agreement between you and your insurance company. The policy lists a package of medical benefits such as tests, drugs and treatment services. The insurance company agrees to cover the cost of certain benefits listed in your policy. These are called "covered services."

Your health insurance policy is an agreement between you and your insurance company. The policy lists a package of medical benefits such as tests, drugs and treatment services. The insurance company agrees to cover the cost of certain benefits listed in your policy. These are called "covered services."

Your health insurance policy also lists the kinds of services that are not covered by your insurance company. You have to pay for any uncovered medical care health insurance that you receive. Keep in mind that in case of health insurance a medical necessity is not the same as a medical benefit. A medical necessity is something that your doctor has decided is necessary. A medical benefit is something that your insurance plan has agreed to cover. In some cases, your doctor might decide that you need medical care that is not covered by your insurance policy.

Insurance companies determine what tests, drugs and services they will cover. These choices are based on their understanding of the kinds of medical care that most patients need. Your insurance company's choices may mean that the test, drug or service you need isn't covered by your policy.

Your doctor will try to be familiar with your insurance coverage so he or she can provide you with covered care. However, there are so many different insurance plans that it's not possible for your doctor to know the specific details of each plan. By understanding your insurance coverage, you can help your doctor recommend medical care that is covered in your plan.

Take the time to read your insurance policy. If you still have questions about your coverage, call your insurance company and ask a representative to explain it. Remember that your insurance company, not your doctor, makes decisions about what will be paid for and what will not.

For for information visit: http://www.healthinsurancedepth.com

You may also find informations about the below -

Health Insurance Quotes
Affordable Health Insurance
Low Cost Health Insurance
Cheap Health Insurance
Self Employed Health Insurance
Small Business Insurance
Group Health Insurance
Personal Health Insurance
Private Health Insurance
Catastrophic Health Insurance

And other useful resources for Individuals, Families, Self-employed, Small business in Arizona, Texas, Florida, California, Houston and across the 50 states of the USA.

For for information visit: http://www.healthinsurancedepth.com

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Cutting Health Insurance Costs

Surveys of self-employed individuals consistently show that one of their major concerns is the ability to buy affordable health insurance. One in 4 self-employed persons has no health insurance today even tough more than 70% of these people could afford to buy high quality health insurance if they had an effective buying strategy.

1. Have a budget and set realistic expectations. Realize that the purpose of insurance is to cover unexpected and otherwise unmanageable expenses. Most good plans cover "ordinary and necessary medical expenses" but not your health club membership. Look for coverage that provides protection but avoid being drawn in by the marketing sizzle. Do not buy health insurance with the primary intention of picking up the cost of your existing ordinary medical expenses like prescriptions, routine dental care and annual check-ups. Health plans exist for almost every budget. Remember that no one is excluded from receiving medical care for an acute condition because of the type of their health insurance plan, but rather medical treatment may be denied because they dont have any insurance coverage at all.

2. Realize that there are trade-offs in every health plan. The lowest priced high quality health insurance plans excluded coverage for pre-existing medical conditions and require periodic re-enrollment. It is often better to take the less expensive insurance any pay for small uncovered expenses yourself. But if you need to find full takeover coverage, then you cannot expect to be offered the insurers lowest rating.

3. Think short term. Most individual health insurance policies for self-employed persons actually stay in force less than a year. Buy the plan that offers you the best deal right now and do not worry about whether it will be available in a year. In 12 months, a whole new generation of health plans will be available. It would not be smart to keep the same plan for more than two years because new plans are evolving rapidly. A plan that you bought more than 2 years old would not likely represent the best value for you today.

4. Use student medical plans and foreign travel plans if you qualify. These plans offer better deals than traditional coverage.

5. Choose a higher deductible. By taking a $1000 deductible, you will save more than $1000 in premium payments over a year's time. This should be an easy decision from a mathematical viewpoint, but still many people buy policies with a low deductible. It makes no financial sense to pay an insurance company $1000 in premiums for medical care that you could buy for $600 cash.

6. Choose indemnity type coverage and avoid HMOs. This lets you and the doctor that you choose maintain control of your own medical care. This saves money in the long run by allowing the best course of treatment from the outset of any medical condition.

7. Use the Internet. Technology now allow for online pricing and enrollment with policies issued within 24 hours. Savings have resulted in lower premium prices. Some plans offer premiums as low as $25 per month for catastrophic coverage for young people.

8. Avoid the scams. Unfortunately, self-employed individuals are a prime target market of numerous health plan marketing scams. State insurance departments continuously shut down disreputable plans, but new ones sprout up just as quickly. Well-established and reputable health plans are obtained from well-established and reputable distributors. Good health plans do not use multi-level marketing schemes. All individuals handling your health plans enrollment should be licensed, bonded and insured. Beware of individuals who claim that they do not need an insurance license in your state or can not provide evidence of errors and omission coverage or a bond issued by an insurance company. Remember the old adage if it sounds too good to be true. This certainly applies when shopping for health insurance.

1. Have a budget and set realistic expectations. Realize that the purpose of insurance is to cover unexpected and otherwise unmanageable expenses. Most good plans cover "ordinary and necessary medical expenses" but not your health club membership. Look for coverage that provides protection but avoid being drawn in by the marketing sizzle. Do not buy health insurance with the primary intention of picking up the cost of your existing ordinary medical expenses like prescriptions, routine dental care and annual check-ups. Health plans exist for almost every budget. Remember that no one is excluded from receiving medical care for an acute condition because of the type of their health insurance plan, but rather medical treatment may be denied because they dont have any insurance coverage at all.

2. Realize that there are trade-offs in every health plan. The lowest priced high quality health insurance plans excluded coverage for pre-existing medical conditions and require periodic re-enrollment. It is often better to take the less expensive insurance any pay for small uncovered expenses yourself. But if you need to find full takeover coverage, then you cannot expect to be offered the insurers lowest rating.

3. Think short term. Most individual health insurance policies for self-employed persons actually stay in force less than a year. Buy the plan that offers you the best deal right now and do not worry about whether it will be available in a year. In 12 months, a whole new generation of health plans will be available. It would not be smart to keep the same plan for more than two years because new plans are evolving rapidly. A plan that you bought more than 2 years old would not likely represent the best value for you today.

4. Use student medical plans and foreign travel plans if you qualify. These plans offer better deals than traditional coverage.

5. Choose a higher deductible. By taking a $1000 deductible, you will save more than $1000 in premium payments over a year's time. This should be an easy decision from a mathematical viewpoint, but still many people buy policies with a low deductible. It makes no financial sense to pay an insurance company $1000 in premiums for medical care that you could buy for $600 cash.

6. Choose indemnity type coverage and avoid HMOs. This lets you and the doctor that you choose maintain control of your own medical care. This saves money in the long run by allowing the best course of treatment from the outset of any medical condition.

7. Use the Internet. Technology now allow for online pricing and enrollment with policies issued within 24 hours. Savings have resulted in lower premium prices. Some plans offer premiums as low as $25 per month for catastrophic coverage for young people.

8. Avoid the scams. Unfortunately, self-employed individuals are a prime target market of numerous health plan marketing scams. State insurance departments continuously shut down disreputable plans, but new ones sprout up just as quickly. Well-established and reputable health plans are obtained from well-established and reputable distributors. Good health plans do not use multi-level marketing schemes. All individuals handling your health plans enrollment should be licensed, bonded and insured. Beware of individuals who claim that they do not need an insurance license in your state or can not provide evidence of errors and omission coverage or a bond issued by an insurance company. Remember the old adage if it sounds too good to be true. This certainly applies when shopping for health insurance.

Tony Novak, MBA, MT is a writer and financial adviser in Narberth, PA. His businesses MedSave.com and Freedom Benefits Association provide online benefits enrollment to individuals and businesses in 47 states

Health Insurance for Seniors on the Web

Health Insurance For
Seniors On The Net

When a good friend of mine inquired where he could obtain information about medical insurance for his out-of-state, elderly mother, I told him to try the Internet.

He reported back to me about a week later, in desperation: "I am giving up, I am too confused." He had taken on an overwhelming project with his widowed mother, living in another state. As the only child, and following the sudden death of his father, it was his responsibility to care for his mother.

In this world of technology, the family unit is often living in different geographical areas and the family members are usually quite involved with their own lives, careers, and families. In addition, when both parents are alive, often one or both parents are quite independent and do not require a lot of assistance. As time goes on things, of course, change, and sometimes change very suddenly. There can be a crisis, with regard to the health care needs of one or both aging parents.

With our baby boomers facing this problem in ever increasing numbers, and with the information highway in full bloom, there is a definite need for planning.

Protecting your parent's assets and health is a huge and daunting undertaking, which requires a tremendous amount of education and practical application. Our seniors face many diverse responsibilities upon reaching age 65. To name just a few: Estate planning, taxation, Medicare, social security, wills, insurance, and various other legal and financial matters. All of these different areas require expertise from accountants, lawyers, estate planners, insurance agents, home brokers, financial advisors, and others.

The Internet is a good starting point for most people to find resources for questions and solutions for your problems. There is, however, no replacement for good solid intelligent advice from an expert.

Twenty years ago, insurance for elders was sold by "senior insurance specialists", with just a handful of companies in each state. The programs were most often Medi-gap or Medicare supplemental policies, which covered the expenses not covered by Medicare, including hospital and doctor deductibles, durable medical devices, and non-approved Medicare costs. Ironically these specialists did not sell a lot of nursing care policies, even though Medicare paid a national average of less than 2% of these expenses. With the advent of "financial and estate planning" and more insurance companies entering this market, a more broad and diversified product line became available to agents, brokers, planners, and seniors.

Part of this new diversification was the "home health care plan", sold by itself, and in conjunction with senior health insurance products. The appeal of the "home health care policy" was that a senior could stay at home and still receive medical and custodial benefits, allowing a person to recuperate in the comfort of their own home.

This was the answer to a huge problem. The last place an older person wanted to go was a "retirement home", or "rest home", or, God forbid, the "nursing home." It appeared that seniors could now rely on this new innovation without worry of having to move out of their home environment in the event of a health problem.

As with most things," if it is too good to be true".... The home health care policy is no exception. The problem is, there is not enough coverage for a lengthy illness or recuperation time. The fact is, the new trend is toward an "all in one" type facility, allowing for a variety of levels of care all in one location. In other words a senior could start off with little or no health care concerns in an independent, less expensive area, and then go to an assisted living, or nursing care facility, all within the same compound.

A "nursing home" requires a nurse on the premises 24 hours per day, assisted living is just eight hours. The advantages to this are financial. The patient or senior is only charged according to the care level required during the time he or she is admitted to that facility. Another benefit is it alleviates a lot of planning because the care is delivered, as it is needed. The medical attention is available to all residents regardless of their current health.

Some people are offered a lifetime package, which covers their care for the rest of their life, regardless of their current age. It also allows for social outlets to an otherwise somewhat isolated group. On-line shopping services have become a huge business. It is definitely here to stay and many insurance policies are purchased from Internet quotes and on-line applications.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of insurance agents and brokers advertising on the Internet. Most of them will provide instant on-line quotes and even applications for the potential insured. I highly discourage a layperson to purchase insurance in this fashion. A little knowledge can be dangerous.

The federal government has mandated to all states through legislation, the standardized senior health insurance policy guidelines, which are governed and regulated by each state insurance department.

There are plans for almost every level of health. Some are designed and priced for a less than healthy individual. Others are for a person with minimal health concerns. . The whole concept of insurance is to provide protection for "unanticipated" sickness or injury, especially catastrophic expenses, which would devastate a person's net worth. The more small expenses a person is willing or able to pay (self-insure), the lower the rate. I recommend this strategy when evaluating your insurance options.

Another consideration when reviewing various insurance plans is to look at the company itself. How long has the company been selling this type of insurance? Do they have a lot of complaints filed with the local department of insurance? Are the rates stable? Does it pay claims on time? Service? Most agents talk about the rating. These ratings are as follows: A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, or "not rated".

Do not be fooled by rating alone. It is good to have a high rating, but it is far better to have a company that has longevity, stability, innovation, service, and expertise. The problem is that some companies enter into a market and quickly leave without explanation. This does not give security to the policyholder.

The most important consideration should be a review of the profit/loss ratio for that product. This will establish stability, and longevity in the market. An insurance company with a moderate profit in a particular line of business will remain in that market. On the other hand, a company with losses will make changes and possibly even withdraw. This is information not normally available to Internet users.

Before entering into an insurance contract, the senior person, the family, and other advisors must be realistic, and a careful evaluation of the entire picture must be examined. The age, the health of the senior, the financial resources, the personality and attitude of the senior, and most importantly the desires of the senior, should all be considered.

Early planning is important, as qualification becomes increasingly more difficult as the applicant's health declines. The senior health care market is complex. I will offer some words of advice to attempt to alleviate potential pitfalls. *Choose a well-informed, seasoned, and service oriented agent or broker to assist your decision making process. The professional can offer invaluable information, but do not be afraid to ask a lot of questions and even get a second opinion. *Do not wait until your parent or loved one is sick, or injured. Plan ahead and take the time needed to cover all the options. *Choose an experienced insurance company. A Company that has been in the marketplace for a significant time and has maintained a balance of rates and benefits and sound risk selection with moderate rate increases over time is your best bet. *The plan should be flexible, with a broad range of options and benefit selections to the insured. There should be no tricks, or complicated language for the coverage. An incredibly low rate is a red flag for trouble in the future. *Do not rush or be rushed by an over aggressive sales person.

This policy will not be inexpensive and will need to be read and reviewed for a clear understanding of the contents. This is one advantage to the Internet. You are allowed to read indefinitely before you act.

A long-term care program, with or without insurance coverage, will only work if the senior has input into the care selection process. If there are any questions about the accreditation of a facility please call the "Continuing Care Accreditation Commission at 202-783-7286.

As I have mentioned in my article, the best way to avoid potential problems are to plan ahead. I have found a company, that I highly reccommend as they are professional senior care specialist's and offer sound, practicle, individualized, advice
for caregivers, family members, seniors, and guardians. They will advise on tax, legal, financial, health care, and other family issues, and are available nationwide.

author: William H. Pritchett Jr.

Mr. Pritchett is a certified estate planner with over 25 years of experience in long term care, medicare, and custodial care health insurance products. Mr. Pritchett was a pioneer in this market and developed the first "Home Health Care" insurance plan available in the United States in 1983. He has written many articles, is a national public speaker on the subject and sits on the board of directors for several large corporations.

Where To Find Cheap Health Insurance

Health insurance costs are rising all the time. Many people feel they cannot afford health insurance. Others feel that they dont need it because they are healthy and have never had any major medical problems. This is definitely faulty thinking on their part. As a matter of fact, you do need health insurance, and there are a lot of ways to get affordable health insurance for yourself or your family. Health insurance is protection against the possible health problems that could happen in the future, and you have absolutely no way of knowing what those might be.

For people who are low income, every state has a Medicaid program that they could possible qualify for. The requirements vary form state to state, but all it takes is a trip to your local Division of Family Services office to get an application. You might be surprised at the number of people who would actually qualify for this service that dont think that they would. You will need to fill out the application and provide some documentation about your finances. This program can cover the health insurance needs of the entire family, including dental work, eye care, doctor visits, emergency care, prescriptions and more. For people with children who dont get insurance through their work, this is a very good option to check out. It is free and a fairly painless process, and if you qualify, it could make you like a lot easier.

Another option for cheap health insurance is to look on the Internet. There are a ton of companies that offer all types of health insurance plans, and it is very possible that you could find one that is perfect for your family and fits your pocketbook. The costs vary, so do plenty of research before choosing one or another. It is a smart idea to find out how long the company has been in business, and what kind of reputation they have. Ask for a quote from several sources, and see what kind of a deal they can get for you. Make sure they are also licensed in your state, because it does no good to get insurance if they cant operate in your state.

Still other options include your local insurance agencies. Ask around to find out about the different agents and their policies. Many agents will work very hard to get you an affordable health insurance plan for your family at a cost you can live with. Even if you cant get every type of coverage you want, some is better than none.

Follow up with advertisements for prescription card plans and alternative health care plans. While some of them wont be suited to your needs, there may be one that is perfect for you. An affordable health care insurance plan can be found, but you might have to do some searching.

Bob Hett offers great tips and advice regarding all aspects concerning Health Insurance.
Get the information you are seeking now by visiting http://www.healthinsurancejournal.info

HIPAA Compliance In A Technical World

The way people do business today relies more and more on internet connections and ?virtual? phone lines. This presents a problem for those in the medical industry and those required by the Department of Health and Human Services to follow the guidelines of The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Those companies that deal with Personal Health Information (PHI) want to make sure that they are able to keep up with technology, and all the convenience and efficiency that it has to offer, yet at the same time ensure that the technology does not put their clients? confidential information at risk. One such technology that those in the medical industry are finding numerous benefits to is virtual fax.

The benefits of virtual fax can be summed up in one word: efficiency. With a virtual fax there is no longer any need to go back and forth from the fax machine for sending or receiving faxes. All faxes can come into an email address or internet control panel and faxes can be sent right from the desktop as well. Since the faxes are digital, it is possible to clean up any paper trail and keep a digital file of all important correspondence. Another added benefit is the ability to rid the office of the bulky fax machine with all of the maintenance and upkeep that goes along with it. While it is easy to see how any office can benefit from the use of virtual fax, it may not be as obvious as to how they can do so and still stay HIPAA compliant.

There are four categories of security requirements under HIPAA and it is the consumer?s responsibility, according to the HIPAA regulations, to examine the technology employed by a virtual fax provider and determine how to use it in a compliant manner. Here are some things to look for in a virtual fax provider that help medical providers maintain compliance.

1.Administrative Procedures ? A virtual fax provider should have documented, formal practices to protect data and limit access to files. Most virtual fax providers will have policies that allow access to fax messages for the purpose of maintenance, customer service, repair, and backup, or in response to legal inquiries or warrants that legally force the disclosure of the messages or documents from courts or government agencies.

2.Physical Safeguards ? A virtual fax provider should be able to protect data from fire, other natural and environmental hazards and intrusion. A provider should have measures in place that include an industry standard fire safety system, off-site backups, and industry standard security systems to protect Personal Health Information from physical vulnerabilities.

3.Technical Security Services ? a virtual fax provider should have measures in place to protect information and control individual access to information. There are usually 3 ways to access documents in a virtual fax system and each one should have their own independent security measures.

?Access to a virtual fax system by phone should be restricted with PIN access.
?Email delivery of virtual fax messages should be sent using encryption technology. An added security feature is the ability to have the email delivery of fax documents configured for a ZIP format with password/encryption.
?Virtual fax access over the internet should also be PIN protected as well as be secured by industry standard protocols and encryption algorithms. An added security feature would be that the internet portal?s identity be verified by an SSL certificate.

4.Technical Security Mechanisms ? A virtual fax provider should be able to guard against unauthorized access or loss of data over the communications network. Data storage systems should implement industry standard fault tolerant measures to prevent data loss due to storage media failure. Databases and storage systems should be protected by battery backup technology to protect against potential data loss due to power failures. In addition, servers should use a measure comparable to FreeBSD UNIX to prevent unauthorized access and data security compromise.

For a medical provider in a technical world it can be difficult to keep up with all the current technology and still be sure to follow all the guidelines they are subject to. While ultimately it is the consumer?s responsibility to determine whether or not a virtual fax provider allows them to maintain HIPAA compliance, many providers already have security measures in place that can help them stay within the guidelines they are subject to.
Brandi Cummings, an expert in the field of virtual telecommunications, recommends checking out http://www.Fax800.com, a leading provider of internet fax technology for small businesses.

Health Insurance; COBRA; OBRA; HIPAA; Medicare; Definitions, Relationships

 

Health Insurance; COBRA; OBRA; HIPAA; Medicare. If asked, could you state that you knew that all 5 of these topics had the same thing in common: medical insurance coverage for you and, perhaps, your family? Would you know the qualifications for each? Well, in this article, we will discuss them. For a timeline that depicts, graphically, the time relationship between them, please see the timeline in www.disabilitykey.com.

HEALTH INSURANCE Coverage from Work

If we are lucky, we, and/or our spouse, work for a company that provides, as a benefit, health insurance coverage for us and our family. If so, we are very lucky. Even if that is true, there are some key things that you might want to look at to see if you have ENOUGH coverage.

1) From your Human Resources Department (or wherever else you would go to get information about your health insurance) get what is called a "Summary Plan Description" (SPD). This document should be kept where you can always find it, as it contains all the information you will need about what your insurance covers and what it doesn't.

2) Look up "Coverage" and "non-coverage" in your SPD.

These will tell you what your plan covers and doesn't cover. You need to see if, perhaps, you or one of the covered members of your family has a condition or circumstance that might not be covered, where you need additional coverage. For example, let's say that your family has a history of cancer; perhaps your plan restricts the number of hospitalization days for care; or, restricts the days per condition. In this case, (like my children) you might want to get additional "cancer insurance" (I think that AFLAC might provide this type of coverage).

It would be a good idea to contact a Health Insurance benefit Broker and ask him/her to read your SPD and see if you have any gaps in coverage. They then can help you supplement coverage BEFORE YOU NEED IT!

NO HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE

You might be one of the growing members of our society that, through one circumstance or another, does NOT have health insurance coverage for your family. In this case, I strongly encourage you to contact a Health Insurance Broker and get immediate coverage of what is called "catestrophic" (not sure if I spelled this correctly) coverage. In this type of coverage, you will generally have large deductibles, but will have coverage if, say, one of you has to go into the hospital.

CONTACTING A BENEFITS INSURANCE BROKER

Whenever you call or email a Health Insurance Broker, it is very important to prepare ahead of time. WHAT, specifically are you looking for; how much can you afford to pay every month; what circumstances do you want to make sure that your family is covered for. In this way, you can make sure to focus on your critical needs.

COBRA

COBRA is an acronym ( how can I spell acronym correctly, yet not be sure that I spelled catestrophic correctly?) that stands for: Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. Basically, it is a federal law that allows you to pay for your Company-paid health insurance, as an active member, if you no longer work for that company for, generally 18 additional months.

1) COBRA is "triggered" (that is, you, or a covered member of your family, become eligible for COBRA) by events such as the following: resignation from the company; termination (FOR ANY REASON) from the company; divorce of a spouse; a covered chile's birthday makes them ineligible for coverage. These are the main "triggering" events for COBRA.

2) Now, when eligible for COBRA, you will be asked to pay for 100% to 105% of the company's employee/employee and family coverage amount. You should get a letter from your company explaining what that amount will be. BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO TAKE COBRA, there are some important things for you to consider.

What will be your cost, and what will be the coverage for that cost? Sometimes the cost is too much for the coverage. In these cases, you might want to select HIPAA coverage, instead (see HIPAA below).

Or, you might just want to get catestrophic coverage as was mentioned earlier, and wait for full coverage under your next job.

Part of this decision should be whether or not you or a member of your family has what is called a "pre-exisitng coverage" condition.

Here again, before automatically taking COBRA, it would be wise to contact a Benefits Insurance Broker and give him/her all of your options, and get their input. I have worked extensively with a Benefits Insurance Broker, and he is absolutely fantastic!

OBRA

What, you ask, is OBRA? I've never heard of it, you say, and no one I know has heard of it either! Well, that's because, 99% of Human Resource or Benefit folks that I know have never heard of it! OBRA is a federal law that was passed that extends COBRA for an additional 11 months FOR DISABILITY PURPOSES ONLY!! Why, you ask, is this important? Thanks for asking, let's see if I can explain.

If you are as nieve (did I spell this wrong too? sorry!) as I was when I first started looking to bridge my health insurance from working to Medicare, I assumed that when I got through all of the hoops to qualify for SSDI (Social Security Disabililty Insurance) I'd IMMEDIATELY be eligible for Medicare, RIGHT??? WRONG!!!!

When you FINALLY qualify for SSDI, you have to wait for 5 months before you get your first check. AND, the rules state that, you are eligible for Medicare 2 years (24 months) FROM THE DATE OF YOUR FIRST SSDI PAYMENT. Well, if you add 24 + 5 you get, 29 months between qualifying for SSDI, and Medicare coverage.

OK, I said earlier that COBRA is for 18 months of coverage. Well guess what 18 months of COBRA + 11 months of OBRA equal - 29 months!

BUT, there are two catches to OBRA; first of all, you have a small window of 30 - 60 days to apply ( this window opens the date of your SSDI approval); and, it can cost up to 150% of your plan coverage amount. BUT, if you have a "previously existing condition" this might be the best way for you to proceed.

Again, it is important to contact a Health Insurance Broker to help you with the risk/cost ratio of all of these situations.

It is also improtant to know all of these deadlines as you plan to ensure that you and your family have important health insurance coverage.

HIPAA

HIPAA is a federal law that is called, briefly, the "portability" law for health insurance. What that means is that when you leave a group (read company-paid plan), the carrier that provided that plan, must offer to you, another plan, different from COBRA, when you leave the group coverage. Generally this will be what is called a "bare bones" plan. Again, the best thing for you to do is to call/email a Health Insurance/Benefits Broker with all of your information: SPD, COBRA info, HIPAA info, needs, cost limits, and let him/her help you find the optimum plan coverage for you.

MEDICARE

OK, now, finally, we've reached Medicare! BUT (you really didn't think it would be that easy, did you?) if you have qualified for Medicare because of disability, there are RESTRICTIONS (of COURSE there are!).

First of all, if you are qualifying for Medicare because of disability, you are probably under the age of 65 - normal retirement age.

Medicare coverage does NOT cover prescription drugs, which, those of us with disabilities probably need, and which cost lots.

But, Congress prescribed that states (all but 11) offer what is called "Medicare supplement" plans, some of which do offer prescription coverages. BUT, these plans ARE NOT REQUIRED TO, and do not, offer these medicare supplement plans that offer prescription coverages to folks who qualify under age 65! So, if you are qualifying because of disability, your medical insurance plan doesn't cover one of your primary cost expenditures!

Here again is where you need to contact a health insurance/benefit broker. Again, he/she can work with you, and your specific circumstances, to get you the coverage you need.

Hope that this information was helpful to you. If you have any questions, please feel to ask them by commenting on this blog, and I'll be happy to get you an answer.

About Disabilitykey.com & Carolyn Magura:

Disabilitykey.com is a website designed to assist each person in his/her own unique quest to navigate through the difficult and often conflicting and misleading information about coping with disabilities.

Carolyn Magura, noted disability / ADA expert, has written an e-Book documenting the process that allowed her to:

a) continue to work and receive her “full salary” while on Long Term Disability; and

b) become the first person in her State to qualify for Social Security Disability the FIRST TIME, in UNDER 30 DAYS.

Click here to receive Carolyn 's easy-to-read, easy-to-follow direct guide through this difficult, trying process. If you are disabled, don't let this disabiling process

 disable you. Read Carolyns Disability Key Blog.