Before You Look for Health Insurance

Copyright 2005 Richard KeirShopping around for medical insurance can be a confusingbusiness. You need to keep your wits about you and keep track ofthe benefits and costs of each policy and each type of policy.Too often we tend to look at the price first and the rest of thepolicy becomes a blur of fine print. And we're off to check thenext policy.Slow down. There some important things you should do before youstart chasing around to get a policy. Doing these few thingswill make the whole process simpler and clearer - and you'remuch more likely to make a good decision.You need to carefully consider your situation. Think about thesequestions and note your answers:What's the general state of your health?How old are you?Do you have any serious medical problems currently or in yourmedical history?Do you have any history of recurring or on-going medical needs?Do you use tobacco? How much?Do you drink? How much?Are you over- or under-weight for your height, body-type and age?Is your job hazardous?Do you participate in any activities or sports that could affectyour health?Now this may be unpleasant but if there's any chance aninsurance company could discover a history of drug or alcoholabuse or sexual behavior that might put you in a high riskgroup, you may want to be direct and upfront about it -especially if it's in the past. Having a claim denied laterbecause you had failed to disclose medical information to theinsurance company would be far more upsetting - and veryexpensive. The same goes for any significant medical condition.Insurance companies are in it to make a profit - at least mostof them are. Paying large claims isn't their favorite activity,so they often do investigate.If you're seeking a family policy you'll need to make the sameanalysis for everyone and consider carefully what kind ofcoverage you want.Do you need dental, orthodontic, pregnancy, mental health,and/or drug coverage? Do you need long-term care coverage,either inpatient or in a nursing facility? Assisted livingcoverage? What about traveler's or international coverage?If there's a possibility that you may require - or want -in-home care as opposed to a residential nursing or assistedliving facility, be sure that coverage is included and be sureyou understand exactly what you can expect to receive.Think about deductibles and what you could afford pay to reduceyour insurance costs. But be very careful here, because medicalexpenses tend to pile up quickly and reach nearly insane levelsfor complex treatments or inpatient stays. Many drugs in commonuse are ridiculously over-priced and depending on the specificsof your insurance you may not be able to use the least expensivesources.If you will end up with multiple sources of coverage, be clearabout how they fit together and what the rules are aboutoverlapping or combined benefits.Once you are clear on your current situation, your (and otherfamily member's) medical history, and your projected needs, youcan begin looking in a organized way with a better sense ofwhere you're going and what will actually meet your needs. Thismay seem like a tedious process, but it will serve you well infinding appropriate and affordable health insurance and makingsure your health care needs can be met by the medical insuranceyou choose.Take some time to work through these questions. Write down youranswers. Make a chart with your desired coverages and anyspecial conditions the policy must meet. As you look at healthinsurance policies, note the rules, exclusions, informationabout pre-existing conditions, any limitations, the dollaramounts covered and especially any deductibles.Don't try to do too much at once. If you hurry, it'll becomeconfusing and tiring. You may hate it (I know I do), but youreally do need to read all that fine print and understand it.That's not a task to rush through. You might as well face up toit, because it's a lot better to do it BEFORE you need medicalservices than after you get a bill for the uncovered portionthat sends you into shock.So is it an impossible job to find health insurance that worksfor you? Not at all. There's a world of resources on theinternet to help you find the policy you need. Just be sure todo your homework first.