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Showing posts from January, 2018

Repricing on Health Insurance Claims

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Repricing on Health Insurance Claims insurancehom We have all heard the stories of the emergency room claim that cost $10,000 for a broken thumb, or the person who had to file bankruptcy from the huge bill while using a network outside of their HMO. These stories have been the fuel for arguments on what should be done with our Nation's healthcare system. The truth is these stories occur more than most people realize, and many have misconceptions on how this happens. This is why it is crucial to have the right billing network to take advantage of most favorable, predetermined pricing available. Lets take a look at a couple of scenarios where one person is stuck with a high medical bill and the other is protected. Suppose that two people walk into an emergency room for the same injury, one having adequate health insurance and the other having none. The emergency room is going to immediately know that each patient will be billed differently. The person with the right network billing p...

2018 Medicare Terms and Changes

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2018 Medicare Terms and Changes insurance hom Medicare is available for those age 65 and older who are US citizens or legal permanent residents. In addition, either you or your spouse must have worked for 10 years (40 quarters). Some individuals under age 65 can also qualify for Medicare coverage if they have certain disabilities and meet the guidelines. The government provides Medicare Parts A & B. Part A Most people do not pay a premium for Part A that covers inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facility care, home health care and hospice care stays, because when you worked, you paid into the system. There is a deductible of about $1,316.00 and co-insurance after 60 days. Part B This is medical insurance that covers doctors and other health care provider visits, outpatient care, home health care, durable medical equipment, and some preventive services rather than hospital care. The premium is about $134.00 and the deductible is $183.00. Part B is designed for the governme...

Health Care Billing Issues: Sudden and Expensive

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Health Care Billing Issues: Sudden and Expensive Insurance is designed for sudden expensive exposure that most of us cannot afford. If you look at those words again: sudden and expensive. It does not spell out the predictable and affordable. For years though, we had someone with the bigger purse paying the bills. Most of us had very little to pay out-of-pocket for any of our own medical expenses. At least until now. It's common knowledge that those who have more money tend to have more to spend without question. Insurance companies are not any different; they are the ones with the bigger purse. Medical providers know this as well. Over the last 50-60 years, the providers increased their prices to see what they can get away with, at the same time the insurance companies were negotiating for bigger discounts. This is how healthcare became big business. The insurance companies fronted this cost, and now we have to cover the expense of higher premiums today. The pricing transparency is...

Travel Insurance - How to Choose the Right Holiday Cover

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Travel Insurance - How to Choose the Right Holiday Cover,insurancehom If you're starting to think about your summer holiday this year you will probably already know about the importance of an appropriate travel insurance policy. If something were to go wrong when you are abroad, it's important to have holiday cover in place for you and your family. However, choosing a suitable policy is not always easy, so here is a quick guide to making sure you choose the right one for your needs. Choose the right type of insurance Start by thinking about whether you need single-trip or multi-trip holiday cover for your time abroad. A single-trip policy covers one trip abroad, whereas with a multi-trip policy you will get cover for various trips. The details of the cover will depend upon the insurer, so have a think about which is right for you and choose the most suitable option. Compare policies Once you know what you need from your insurance, start comparing policies. Look for the differen...

The Importance of Travel Insurance for Family Members

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The Importance of Travel Insurance for Family Members Travel insurance for family members is one of the key aspects of ensuring that a holiday abroad can be enjoyed safely. A family holiday will usually see a couple and their children heading for the sun to a hotel with all the amenities on tap. However, what needs to be considered is whether the policy fits the glove of all those within the family group. One size doesn't fit all For example, the parents may well be happy to rent a car for a day trip around the region, while the children, particularly if they are teenagers or grown up, may be eyeing up an extreme sport or two, or a fun night out. All the above scenarios are typical of a holiday, but what happens if the family are on holiday and uninsured and something goes wrong? Leaving home without travel insurance for family groups can come back to haunt people, particularly if they suffer a car accident, a fall, or that extreme sport goes wrong. If people are hospitalised, with...

Making An Insurance Claim While Travelling

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Making An Insurance Claim While Travelling It is quite likely you're planning on journeying to a popular foreign holiday destination this year. You may be looking forward to relaxing on the sun kissed white sand beaches and trying a variety of exciting activities, however it is important to remember there is a risk of holiday mishaps. You could contract a nasty foreign disease or injure yourself during a particularly challenging climb, for example. You'll undoubtedly be thankful for the financial protection of holiday cover in such a scenario. But of you need to make a claim, it will pay to know the correct steps involved. Contact the Insurance Provider Those who've made the smart decision of investing in a comprehensive insurance policy can expect to receive a detailed policy overview. You will also be given the contact details of the specialist claims handlers. It is important you keep the details to hand in case of holiday accidents. You will then have the assurance of b...

How To Use Your Credit Card For Free Travel Insurance

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How To Use Your Credit Card For Free Travel Insurance More and more people are opting in for the cheapest things to buy by shopping around, using point and finding places that obtain 'freebies'. Holiday travel insurance is one of those things. Everybody loves a freebie, or at least the illusion of a freebie and many do not know that they can obtain a travel insurance policy without having to pay additional costs. The majority of all major credit cards and even the smaller sized companies are using 'free' travel insurance to encourage their card holders to purchase their travel using their cards. This has both pros and cons which includes being able to stock up on your frequent flyer points, if the program is also attached to the card. So not only are you increasing your flyer miles you are also obtaining a travel insurance policy. There are a number of things that you absolutely need to know when using your credit card for travel insurance. The first and most important ...

Have You Considered Travel Insurance?

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Have You Considered Travel Insurance? Have you ever thought about travel insurance before taking a special trip or vacation? Travel insurance is a quick recovery solution when the unforeseen shows up to ruin best laid plans. I really like to travel. In fact, my wife and I recently made a major life change and move to have better opportunity to travel more often. After decades of living in the southwest, we relocated to the Piedmont area of North Carolina. As retirees, we have spent our time seeking out historical sites in the U.S. and Canada. Our former home state required a lot of air travel to get to our favorites haunts, but now we can even explore into New England and Canada by car and train. I don't think we're unique by any means. Travel industry statistics bear out that from day trips to vacations to business jaunts most Americans travel often. The U.S. Travel Association states that we spend over $600 billion on leisure travel, both domestic and international. Leisure t...

Reasons Why You Can't Travel Without Insurance

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Reasons Why You Can't Travel Without Insurance You may think you've packed just right and are all set for your upcoming trip but sadly you're not. Rewind and have a look at what have you missed out amidst all the hype and excitement for the trip. Unfortunately, a lot of avid and first time travelers underestimate the value of travel insurance. You'll always witness travelers justifying their decision by claiming it is only an extra travel cost that can be easily avoided when there are so many of them. Simply put, if you think you can't afford to buy travel insurance, you're just not ready to travel. There are various benefits of buying travel insurance. Let's explore what travel insurances in general cover. 1. Evacuation and Medical Emergencies Even when you consider yourself totally fit to travel, adversities can always form part of your journey. Since they can sometimes be extremely challenging, it is best to be prepared for any such circumstances. You mig...

The Super Visa Insurance - All You Need To Know

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The Super Visa Insurance - All You Need To Know If you have children and grandchildren settled abroad, you desire to visit them occasionally. However, the humongous amount of documentation and approvals forces you to restrict it to a single or at the most two visits. In December 2011, the Canadian Government introduced a new insurance scheme called the Super Visa Insurance. It covers unexpected medical expenses while residing in Canada. It also pays up if you fall sick on a side trip, if majority of the period is spent in Canada. With a validity of 10 years, there are fewer hassles in planning a trip to Canada. You can visit the country for up to 2 years per visit without having to renew your status during these 10 years. It permits multi-entries into the country. The Super Visa insurance covers you for a minimum amount of $100,000. The insurance benefits include hospitalization, health care and repatriation. This is an individual visa application; it does not include your dependants. ...

Travel Insurance - Got You Covered

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Travel Insurance - Got You Covered    Planning to be traveling soon? Should you buy travel insurance? It's a tough call whether spending the extra money is worth it. Are you over 50? Travel insurance goes up significantly as you get older. If you're spending a lot of money on a trip, travel insurance is a must. Travel Insurance Coverage Travel insurance covers these basics: Trip Cancellation Or Interruption Medical Emergency Evacuation Baggage Flight Delays and Cancellations Travel Insurance - What Does It Mean For You? Trip Cancellation refers to canceling prior to your trip whereas trip interruption refers to a problem during your trip. What if you or one of your travel companions gets hurt or sick and you need to cancel your plans. This is where travel insurance comes to the rescue. What if you have a medical emergency? Think you're covered by your medical insurance? You might be. But most medical insurance policies don't cover you outside of the United States. Medic...

Tips to Choose the Right Health Insurance Plans

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Tips to Choose the Right Health Insurance Plans Arun was a young and passionate 27-year-old IT professional who was basking in the glory of his new job. His world came crashing down when his father suffered a heart attack and he was left hunting for cash to pay the huge hospital bills. He lost a good fortune of his savings since he was not covered by any health policy. Many individuals, like Arun, do not get insured under a good health insurance policy on time and later regret it all their lives. Most people refrain from buying a policy as they do not feel confident to read between the lines and understand the terms and conditions of different policies. Unfortunately, this is a common story with majority of working professionals in India and around the world. This article discusses some practical tips to help you decide which health insurance policy is most affordable as per your needs. 1. Selecting an insurance company astutely: In general, you can get health insurance from both gener...

Selecting the Appropriate Health Insurance for Your Needs

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Selecting the Appropriate Health Insurance for Your Needs Getting the right healthcare for you and your family can often be a huge challenge. Taking into consideration pertinent factors like accessing competent physicians, healthcare centers with the right equipment and medicine, and more importantly the costs that you will be expected to meet. Most ordinary individuals might require relatively infrequent medical attention, while others, depending on their health conditions, need more visits to the hospital. However, everyone from time to time has to deal with unexpected health challenges, which can often necessitate a substantial amount of money. It is, thus, wise to have the foresight to take appropriate measures to ensure that whatever predicament comes your way, you will always be prepared. One of the best ways of doing this is by acquiring a suitable health insurance cover, which will infinitely lower your medical expenses. Figuring out the right health insurance plan that will me...

NJ Homeowner Insurance - Did You Know That Two Similar Homes May Need Differing Policies?

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NJ Homeowner Insurance - Did You Know That Two Similar Homes May Need Differing Policies? You live in the Garden State. To you, all NJ home owner insurance policies are the same. To the insurance companies, however, this is not the case at all. Two identical houses may actually require two very different policies. How so? Take the example of two NJ homes, one at the eastern corner of Woodland Drive in Lakewood, NJ and the other, located smack in the middle of River Terrace in Toms River, NJ. Two Homes, The Insurance Company's Perspective: 1) Home on Woodland Drive, Lakewood, NJ Distinctive Characteristics - • Owner occupied  • Well taken care of  • Less of a damage risk 2) Home on River Terrace, Toms River, NJ Distinctive Characteristics - • Tenant occupied  • May not be as well maintained  • More of a damage risk Differing Home Situations, Differing Homeowner Insurance Policies The fact that Lakewood is surrounded by the beautiful man-made Lake Carasaljo while Toms ...

Things to Remember When Buying Cheapest Low Cost Home Insurance

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Things to Remember When Buying Cheapest Low Cost Home Insurance Home Insurance for Buildings This will cover the actual building, but not necessarily outbuildings such as sheds, or garage, or fences. Having building insurance cover is usually a condition of the mortgage for home owners. If looking for cheap home insurance it is worth remembering that a lower price it may mean a higher excess, which is the amount you have to pay before the insurance cover kicks in. Questions to ask include whether cover includes the cost of alternative accommodation should the building be so severely damaged that it cannot be lived in while repair work is carried out. It may also be worth asking about whether the policy includes legal fees, as this is usually an extra item. Another extra on home insurance policies that may be worth considering is emergency cover which provides for immediate, urgent repairs to make a property safe or weather proof if there has been some unexpected event that has caused d...

What Not to Do When Hiring a Public Insurance Adjuster

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What Not to Do When Hiring a Public Insurance Adjuster After your home sustains damage in an emergency weather event or a similar situation, you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed. There is so much stress on your plate and so many things to do in order to get your home repaired and to get the full pay-out from your homeowners' insurance company. If the claims process seems too confusing, there is help readily available in the form of a public insurance adjuster. However, if you've never hired one before, you might be wondering how to go about finding one that is reputable and has your best interests at heart. When you contact a public insurance adjuster, ask about payment. Inquire about how much they will charge you and when they want to collect that payment. If they want money up front or ask for a specific amount before they even begin to help you process your insurance claim, this is a huge red flag. Avoid that public insurance adjuster and move to the next one on your list....

A Homeowner's Guide: Insurance Scores Explained

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A Homeowner's Guide: Insurance Scores Explained Do you understand insurance scores and its relevance on your policy's premium? Here's the classic illustrative example: Barbara and Gail are neighbors, living just houses away from each other.. Barbara lives on the corner property on Farms Road, while Gail lives smack in the center of Farms Road. Both women marvel at how similar their homes look on the outside. They chuckle at the personal joke they share about the interiors. "If not for the vast difference in home decorating tastes," says Barbara with a broad grin, "we'd live in identical looking homes and our kids would mistakenly enter the wrong house when returning from elementary school!" The joke kept smiles on their faces until they discovered a serious difference in homeowner policy cost. Gail was paying a premium of $1,300 on her homeowner policy while Barbara only had a premium rate of $700. Gail couldn't believe the fact that the price ta...

Are You a Tenant? Do You Have Renters Insurance?

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Are You a Tenant? Do You Have Renters Insurance? If you are like one of every three tenants across the entire US of A who does not own renters insurance, chances are that you are setting yourself up for disaster. Why? Coverage for those who rent homes, apartment units, condos, etc., gives you protection against the potential of liability exposure. What damages and losses could a tenant like you experience, you ask. In the event of insurance perils such as flood, fire, theft or acts of vandalism, you stand to lose a lot. Don't be fooled by the common fallacy that those who rent do not need a tailored insurance policy. While your landlord is probably covered by the homeowner policy he took out for the property you live in, that plan only covers the home's structure. It does not cover the home's contents. And since you live in the home, the contents belonging to you are at risk on a continual basis. Ask yourself: if a fire, storm or home burglary would cause personal devastati...

Nothing Occupies Your Vacant Building, But Risk Exposure!

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Nothing Occupies Your Vacant Building, But Risk Exposure! If you think there's nothing to worry about in regard to your vacant building, you are very, very wrong. Such a property has much more exposure to liability risks than a home where renters occupy it. It's a fact that the insurance companies are extremely cognizant of. For illustration's sake, read the following claim examples. They are all true. Thought they might have happened to another homeowner, similar situations can certainly happen to you, too. Property Coverage One day, five angry teens forced their way into an empty building. They let out all their frustrations as they vandalized the place. The result was $15,000 in damages and losses. The vacant premises in a specific place was finally set to be occupied by a tenant. Just a week prior to the move-in, a severe storm hit the area. Lightning hit the building, damaging the HVA system. The tenant postponed his move for two weeks so that appropriate repairs could...