This website will help you locate the appropriate insurance that
you need regardless of what state that you live in. Certified Producer
Agents are available to help you.
Looking for Affordable Health Insurance?
This website is not affiliated with Ican Group, their discount medical plans or any product or service that they offer.
What Types of Health Insurance Are Available?
Major Medical Plans
This type of policy is usually effective in covering serious illness
or injury where costs are high. Hospital care, drugs and doctors' visits
are generally covered. These benefits can be delivered in several different
ways:
Indemnity plans - These plans usually provide the most flexibility in
choosing where to receive care and typically have a deductible; i.e.,
the amount you pay before the insurance company begins paying benefits.
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans - In these major medical
plans, the insurance company enters into contracts with selected hospitals
and doctors to furnish services at a discounted rate. As a member of
a PPO, you may be able to seek care from a doctor or hospital that is
not a preferred provider, but you will probably have to pay a higher
deductible or co-payment.
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans - These major medical plans
usually require you to choose a primary care physician (PCP) from a
list of network providers. If you need care from any network provider
other than your PCP, you might have to get a referral from your PCP
to see that provider. You must receive care from a network provider
in order to have your claim paid through the HMO. Treatment received
outside the network is usually not covered, or covered at a significantly
reduced level.
Point of Service (POS) plans - These major medical plans are a hybrid
of the PPO and HMO models. They are more flexible than HMOs, but require
you to select a primary care physician (PCP). Like a PPO, you can go
to an out-of-network provider and pay more of the cost.
Limited Benefit Plans
These types of policies provide limited coverage for a particular health
care setting, ailment or disease. Here are some of the options that
might be available to you:
Basic Hospital Healthcare Expense Benefit Coverage - Covers a period of usually not less
than 31 days of continuous in-hospital care and certain hospital outpatient
services.
Basic Medical-Surgical Expense Benefit Coverage - Covers costs associated with
a necessary surgery, including a certain number of days (usually not
less than 21 days) of in-hospital care.
Hospital Confinement Indemnity Coverage - Covers a fixed amount (usually
not less than $40) for each day that you are in a hospital. The benefits
paid are not based on your actual expenses.
Accident Only Coverage - Covers death, dismemberment, disability or
hospital and medical care caused by an accident. Specified accident
coverage that covers only certain accidents may also be purchased.
Specified Disease Coverage -- Covers diagnosis and treatment of a specifically
named disease or diseases; such as cancer.
Other Limited Coverage - You may purchase insurance covering only dental
or vision or other specified care.
Discount Plans and Risk-Sharing Plans
Discount plans and risk-sharing plans are not insurance plans! Before
signing, be sure to understand how the program works, and what benefits
it offers you or your family.
Discount medical Plans - You might receive advertisements from plans offering
discounts on health care for a monthly fee. These are not health insurance
plans and participants do not have the same protections as under licensed
health insurance plans. Insurance commissioners strongly recommend that
you thoroughly investigate any plan promising deep discounts for a "low"
monthly fee and weigh the benefits against the cost carefully.
Non-Licensed healthcare Risk-Sharing Plans - You may receive offers to join a benefit group
or association that will take your monthly payments, put them in a savings
account (or trust) with other participants' money, and then help pay
some of your health care costs, as needed. Such arrangements are not
insurance and the participants do not have the protections available
to purchasers of licensed insurance plans. State insurance regulators
strongly recommend that you thoroughly investigate such plans before
joining.
State Consumer Protections
States provide a variety of important protections through state law.
These might include:
The appeal of coverage decisions within the insurance company;
The appeal of coverage decisions to an impartial external reviewer;
Prompt payment of claims;
Access to certain specialists and health care providers;
Coverage of specific treatments and services.
If you have questions about protections in your state, contact your
state insurance department. A link to their Web site can be found at
www.naic.org/state_web_map.htm.
Other Important Consumer Protections
COBRA Healthcare Insurance Continuation Coverage - If you purchase insurance coverage through
your employer and your employer has 20 or more employees, when you leave
your job, you are entitled to continuation coverage by the federal Consolidated
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). Your state may also require
continuation coverage to be offered by smaller employers. You can find
out more about COBRA continuation of group health benefits from the
federal Department of Labor, Office of Employee Benefits Security Administration
Web site, www.dol.gov/ebsa/.
HIPAA - The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
limits insurers' power to deny or delay claims, reduces your chances
of losing existing coverage, makes it easier and less risky to switch
health plans, and prohibits insurance discrimination based on health
problems. You can find out more about HIPAA from the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services Web site, www.cms.hhs.gov/.
Some Final Tips on Buying Health Insurance
Make sure you feel confident in the insurance agent and company. It
is a good idea to contact your state insurance department and make sure
the agent and the company you are dealing with are licensed in your
state.
Learn what kinds of policies will provide what you need and pick the
one best for you. Don't hesitate to shop around and ask a lot of questions.
Do not sign an application until you review it carefully to be sure
the answers are complete and accurate. Make sure that the word "insurance"
is actually used and that there is no disclaimer stating that, "This
product is not insurance, nor is it intended to replace insurance."
For more information about health insurance options, and tips for choosing
the coverage that is right for you and your family, go to www
HEALTHINSURANCE
We know the time and effort involved in finding the right policy. Thats why weve located the best insurer consumer connector in the industry, to make your search for health insurance successful. One simple application matches you with numerous local health insurance providers from the network&simultaneously.
When considering your options, know what you're getting medical insurance
or a medical discount plan. If you're not sure, check with your state
insurance commissioner to see if the company offering the plan is registered
to sell insurance in your state. If the company is not registered to
sell health insurance and you want to buy health insurance, consider
shopping elsewhere. Remember that if you buy a health insurance plan,
it generally covers a broad array of services, and pays you or your
health care provider for your medical bills. If you buy a medical discount
plan, you generally are paying for a list of providers and sellers who
may be willing to offer discounts on some of their services, products
or procedures. If youre interested in buying a medical discount plan,
you should investigate the details before you pay any money. For example,
Look for a telephone number or website of the company you're considering
doing business with so you can get more information.
Before you pay any money, ask the company for a list of providers who
participate in its plan. Call the providers and ask about the services
and discounts they're offering.
If the plan doesnt provide a list of providers promptly, consider taking
your business elsewhere.
Investigate the details of any plan carefully. Read the fine print,
paying special attention to the refund policy. If a plan doesnt readily
provide information and answers before you buy, it isnt likely to be
responsive once they have your money.
If your usual medical or dental providers dont participate, see whether
other doctors in your area accept the plan and will give you the discount
the plan promoters promise. Some legitimate plans offer a get acquainted
or initial consultation visit so you can meet a practitioner who participates
in the plan before you commit to becoming a member.
Do the math. Try to calculate what your total payment for a discount
plan will be for a given amount of time. You could be responsible for
paying a substantial amount up front, in addition to monthly fees and
other costs. The costs of the program may total more than the savings
you anticipate. Indeed, you may be able to negotiate a similar discount
directly with your provider, without having to join a medical discount
program.
Call your local consumer protection office, state Attorney General,
or Better Business Bureau to find out whether there are complaints about
the business offering the discount plan.
HRSA's Consumer Education Program provides health-related information which will help you and your family live healthier lives. Whether you are a mom, dad, teen, grandparent or young adult, HRSA has information and resources that can improve your health and make a difference. HRSA also has information to assist care givers and health care providers. Living healthy really is an educated choice!
Health
Literacy
HRSA's health literacy activities strive to educate and increase awareness
about the need to improve health literacy among health care providers
and patients. Understanding health information and communicating well
with your health care providers will help assure a healthier tomorrow.
Please visit HRSA's
Health Literacy Web for more information.
Finding Health Care
For information about your state's program offering free or low-cost
health insurance for your child or teen go to
Insure Kids Now.
HRSAs Health Center Locator can help you find a health center in your community. These health centers serve all who walk through their doors, regardless of ability to pay.
Free or reduced health care is also available at some facilities nationwide through HRSAs Hill-Burton program.
Staying
Healthy
On the Agency for
Health Care Research and Quality's Consumers & Patients page, the
publication entitled
The Pocket Guide
to Staying Healthy at 50+ has information on checkups, immunizations
and adopting healthy habits for people over 50. HRSA's publication
Nutrition and
Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans provides information
for families and children about how to stay healthy and active.
Promoting Organ Donation
You can give the Gift of Life by becoming an organ donor. More than
75,000 Americans are waiting for an organ transplant because too few
of us are willing to be organ and tissue donors. HHS Secretary Tommy
G. Thompson has launched an Organ
Donor initiative to promote organ donation and encourage people
to make an informed decision about organ donation.
Promoting Health Careers
If you are interested in a health profession, HRSA's publication entitled
The Allied Health Professions: Opportunities for Minority Students --
A Career Guidebook, 2000 may be helpful to you. This guidebook introduces
students to allied health careers and provides information for those
interested in pursuing such a career.
HRSA's Kids Into Health Careers campaign has information about encouraging children and young adults to pursue a rewarding career in the health care field. Financial aid information is also included.
Caring for People with HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS continues to be a major health problem facing us all. HRSA
provides HIV/AIDS information for clinicians who care for people living
with HIV/AIDS. HRSA's Ryan White CARE Act program developed
A Guide to
the Clinical Care of Women with HIV.
Raising Healthy Children
To help parents raise healthy children, the HRSA-supported
Bright Futures initiative
provides expert advice and guidelines on practical ways to supervise
the health of infants, children and adolescents ages 0-21. Bright Futures
includes information on nutrition, oral health, mental health, physical
activity and healthy families.
Preventing School Violence
Violence in our schools is a serious problem and bullying behavior is
part of the problem. HRSA has created a "Lend A Hand - Stop Bullying
Now" campaign with a Web site specifically designed for children to
help educate them, their parents, and teachers about recognizing and
understanding what bullying is and how to stop it. Visit our Web site
at www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov
and meet all the great Webisode cartoon characters and learn how to
stop bullying.
Improving Mental Health
Information on improving the mental health of children, young people
and their families is available from the HRSA funded Center for School
Mental Health Assistance at the University of Maryland School of Medicine
and the Center for Mental Health
in Schools at the University of California in Los Angeles.
Prenatal and Newborn Care
Order your free
Health Diary:
Myself, My Baby from HRSA Information Center. It contains information
on fetal and child development, prenatal and newborn care and an immunization
table. There is also a section where you can record and track your prenatal
and pediatric appointments.
Diabetes
HRSAs Bureau of Primary Health Care has developed the Lower Extremity
Amputation Prevention Program also known as the LEAP Program. Learn
more about the steps you can take to reduce your risk of lower extremity
amputation.
Government Sites:
FirstGov
FirstGov is the official government gateway to Federal, state, local,
and tribal information, programs, funding, news releases, phone directories
and more.
Health Information
Healthfinder is a free guide
to reliable health information where you can select online publications,
clearinghouses, databases, web sites, support and self-help groups,
as well as other government agencies and not-for-profit organizations.
AIDS
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established
the National Prevention Information Network which provides information
and resources on HIV disease and treatment. They can be reached toll
free at 1-800-458-5231. The HIV/AIDS
Treatment Information Service which is sponsored by the U.S. National
Library of Medicine, provides up to date HIV/AIDS treatment information
and referrals including clinical trials. They can be reached toll free
at 1-800-448-0440.
Alzheimers Disease
Sponsored by the National Institutes of Health,
REACH (Resources for
Enhancing Alzheimers Caregiver Health) develops and tests new ways to
help families manage the daily activities and stress of caring for people
with Alzheimers disease.
Closing the Health Gap
HHS's national campaign Closing
the Health Gap offers information about bringing the best health
information to African American communities.
Drug Abuse
The National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, produced a very informative
web page, Mind Over
Matter Index, which explains to children in grades 5-9 the effects
of drug abuse on the body and brain.
Elderly
The Administration on Aging provides
health information, elder care service locator, resource directory,
safety tips, hotline for legal advice and much more for older people.
Food Safety
The Food and Drug Administration has good advice and information
on a variety of consumer issues including food safety, foodborne illness,
dietary supplements, cosmetics, and more. Visit the
FDA Consumer Advice
web page.
Medicare and Medicaid
Visit HHSs Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to learn
about how these programs work and the services they provide.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Should you need or want information or assistance for a mental
health or substance abuse problem, HHSs
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) can help.
Safer Health Care
Each year its estimated that between 44,000 and 98,000 people die in
U.S. hospitals because of lapses in patient safety. A Task Force, led
by the Agency for Health Care Quality and Research, has developed
Five Steps to Safer
Health Care to help patients avoid medical errors and misunderstandings.
They are:
Speak up if you have questions.
Keep a list of all medicines you take.
Make sure you get the results of any test or procedure.
Talk with your doctor and health care team about your options if you need hospital care.
Make sure you understand what will happen if you need surgery.
Non-Government Sites:
Alcohol Addiction
The Al-Anon Family Group
Headquarters, Inc is an international organization dedicated to
the support and recovery of families and friends of alcoholics. This
self-help program is based on 12 steps towards personal growth and change.
You can locate the nearest support group through this sites locator
service.
Birth Defects
The March of Dimes has
resources for reducing infant mortality, birth defects, prenatal care,
and more.
Cancer
The American
Cancer Society provides information, support, and resources to answer
your cancer related questions.
Diabetes
The American Diabetes
Association can explain the difference between juvenile and adult
diabetes, the warning signs, and the important role your diet and exercise
play in avoiding and improving this diagnosis.
Heart Disease and Stroke
The American Heart Association
has information on how to fight heart disease and stroke and even get
lessons on CPR.
Mental Health
The National Mental Health Association
provides helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. Find
a local mental health association or health facility or browse news
and events.
Poison Control 1-800-222-1222
Administered by the American Association
of Poison Control Centers, this public service will instantly connect
you to the nearest poison control center.
Suicide Prevention
The
Suicide and Mental Health Association International (SMHAI) provides
valuable information and guidance on suicidal behavior, awareness and
treatment.
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