Types of Health Insurance
The cost of insurance depends on your needs and the type of health insurance you choose. Types of health insurance include individual health insurance for individuals who don't have access to group coverage, such as people who are unemployed, immigrants living outside Canada, or students just starting out in their careers. Another type is temporary health insurance that lasts only for a specified period of time like six months or one year. This kind of coverage is often taken when someone is travelling abroad on vacation but the plan runs out sooner than expected.
Coverage for major medical expenses differs significantly from plans that offer care only for minor medical expenses like medical visits or prescriptions. The reason for the differences is that premiums are based on expected medical expenses, not expected need.
A major medical expense is an expense that will be paid by most health insurance plans (see "definitions of health insurance"). It may include:
For example, if you have a serious illness, an operation, or a dental surgery is needed and you are going to need long-term care or other assistance for about 18 months after your illness has ended, then this will be considered a major medical expense. If your plan defines total coverage as being equal to the cost of any deductibles or co-payments and does not consider the cost of additional medical expenses then this example would be covered.
In contrast, a minor medical expense is an expense that will be paid by most health insurance plans but not all. It may include:
Examples of minor medical expenses are expenses that are not major. These include expenses such as:
Most health insurance plans will cover these expenses if they reach a certain threshold ($500 in Canada). Some plans may require the insured to pay a small co-payment for medical services while others may have no limits on the amount payable (no deductible). Other plans will only cover these costs for a maximum number of times per year. In addition, some employers may subsidize their employees' premiums to cover these expenses.
Health insurance plans differ in the amount of deductibles and co-payments that are required. You should carefully review the benefits section of the plan or ask your human resources department for a copy to see if it will meet your needs. Here is a list of some of the more common types of deductibles and co-payments:
Some health insurance plans may also cover expenses such as eyeglasses, contact lenses, dental care, prescription drugs, preventative services or rehabilitation after sickness or injury.
Many countries have coverage that is similar to health insurance in Canada for individuals who do not have access to a group plan. Governments often pay for this coverage, but each country has different rules and regulations. Some countries with similar plans include Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand, Portugal, Romania and Hong Kong. Plans that offer reimbursement of expenses may be more expensive than other types of coverage because they provide more benefits and do not have annual limits on cost. Some of the plans offered in these countries are Medicare (Australia), National Health Insurance (New Zealand), National Senior Citizens Fund (Malaysia), Medishield (Singapore), New Zealand Superannuation Fund (New Zealand) and National Healthcare Benefit Scheme (Romania).
On November 19, 2009 the U.S. Senate passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a health care reform bill which has become known as "Obamacare".
For more information about health insurance in America see Health care reform in the United States#Government-run single-payer health insurance system
Types of Health Insurance 2013 Update - Quick Reference Guide - Article by Joseph H. Percopo (MD), Internist - Illinois Health Insurance
Types of Health Insurance 2013 Update - Quick Reference Guide - Article by Joe Percopo (MD), Internist (Chicago)
Medical benefits of temporary medical insurance that can help you pay for coverage for treatment or hospitalization for certain health issues. It can be a good choice if you are going to be outside your country for a short period of time, and you return to the same job and group health plan or purchase health insurance in your new country of residence. Temporary health insurance usually only provides benefits for medical emergencies during your visit.
Travel medical insurance policies cover expenses incurred while traveling outside your home country. They can reimburse you for expenses such as medical consultation, emergency transport, hospital services, and doctor's services or dentistry (e.g., root canal treatment, tooth extraction).
Evacuation coverage reimburses the insured for additional expenses incurred due to a need to be medically evacuated from a location.
Air ambulance coverage is additional insurance for air ambulance to get you to or from a place of treatment in case of an emergency. The cost can vary depending on the location and whether the transport is via helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft.
Emergency medical insurance can help you pay for treatment or hospitalization for certain health issues. For example, it can be used if you are going off to travel for a few months and need to get coverage that will be effective in your new country. It is often used by people who do not have access to or cannot afford group health insurance plans.
Temporary Medical Insurance - Temporary medical insurance can help you pay for treatment or hospitalization for certain health issues. For example, it can be used if you are going off to travel for a few months and need to get coverage that will be effective in your new country. It is often used by people who do not have access to or cannot afford group health insurance plans.
Pre-existing conditions are an important factor in the cost of health insurance. If you have a pre-existing condition that prevents you from obtaining a standard health insurance policy, it may cost more to purchase individual insurance as an individual than it would as part of a large group plan (assuming your employer continues group coverage). On the other hand, pre-existing conditions can sometimes be covered by a large group plan. For example, if you have a preexisting condition that is not directly related to illness or injury during the time you have been covered under a larger group plan, it may be denied coverage in some states. If your condition is considered to be serious enough to justify denying coverage, your policy may have various restrictions such as daily maximums on the number of doctor visits and/or hospitalizations.
For example:
Social Security and Medicare help pay insurance costs for people who do not qualify for private insurance programs. The resources listed below provide more details for these programs and how they differ from each other in terms of eligibility requirements.
The Medicare website provides many of the same services that insurance provides, including information about premiums, eligibility, and enrollment. It also offers various tools to compare Part A and Part B costs. This includes information about applying for both parts as well as their differences and how they interact with each other.
Medicare beneficiaries who have been approved to get services from a hospital or medical facility can visit the medicare website to find out more information at http://www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare/searchresults.html . You can also compare providers in your area on this page by entering your ZIP code: https://www.medicare.
Conclusion
This gives a basic idea about what health insurance is. It will help you to understand more about health insurance and how it can benefit you whether you are planning to purchase it for yourself or your family.
List of health insurance plans in the United States<br>
http://www.ncqa.org/Files/health-insurance-plans-chart_files/NCQA%20Health%20Insurance%20Type%20Chart%20110815.pdf<br>
http://www.ehow.com/info_7931345_types-health-insurance-plans_.html<br>
https://www.medicareadvocacyguide.