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Dental Insurance: A Perfect Security Cover For Teeth

One of the highlights of present times is the fact that science and technology has alleviated it to a new level. There are plenty of things happening today which might appear like magic to people of earlier times. It is to the credit of science and technology that the world today has become a global village. What it also means is the fact that things, to enjoy which, one had to go to another country can actually be had in the backyard in today's times. This includes cloths, accessories, food etc.


Food is one thing that has undergone a revolutionary change in today's world. This is only to be expected with the fusion of cultures. A rich variety of food is now available to people transcending the barrier of countries. What this means is the fact that different types of exotic dishes are available to people. However, there lies a problem.

Different types of dishes ensure that teeth are exposed to different types of spices, sauces etc. which go a long way in decaying teeth giving rise to the problems of cavities. It is right that no one dies of toothache but the pain that one has to endure because of it is immense. And if it so happens that one does not have enough money to get himself treated than the plight of the person can very well be understood. It is here that dental insurance comes into effect and ensures that one is never short of funds as far as treatment is concerned. The respite that such a service as dental insurance brings to people therefore, can easily be understood.

However, to gain maximum advantage from dental insurance one must take care of certain points. First of all one must ensure that the policy comes to life as soon as it is signed, one must also find out that whether the insurance company will bear the complete cost of the treatment or only a part of it. In addition to it one must also ensure that he never default on monthly premiums as well as never provide any wrong information to the insurance company as acts like these can lead to the disqualification of the policy.

If precautions like these are taken then one can be rest assured that dental insurance would prove to be a very potent weapon in hours of crisis.

by Darlene Kaitlin

Free Health Insurance Quotes Online

Health insurance, no matter what form it takes, is an essential part of our lives. We might be incapacitated one day, get into an accident, or have to receive flu shots - with the rising costs of medication, will we be able to afford such medical necessities that are fast becoming luxuries? Before you go buying medical insurance, however, you might want to compare different premium prices and packages offered by different companies. You can access such information by looking for free health insurance quotes online.

There are many different kinds of free health insurance quotes online, depending on the kind of insurance that you need. Individual insurance, or insurance for families, are common online. Such insurance packages will run for the long term, and they will cover a wide variety of treatments. These may include partial coverage for vaccination for your children, or coverage for accidents that you might run into.

If you are looking for a good student health insurance, then do your research. As a student, you need to match the benefits and value of the insurance that the school either requires or offers. However, not all insurance packages with the same value and benefits as those required by the school will be as reliable, and they may turn out to be more expensive. By comparing different health insurance quotes, you can better understand the different offerings and get the student health insurance that fits your budget and future needs.

Before looking for free health insurance quotes online, do research on what a health insurance is all about, as well as on the different health insurance packages that you can get. These may include dental health or vision insurance. With good sense and a lot of research, you can better assess what health insurance package to purchase.

by Charlene J. Nuble

What are some reasons to shop around for auto insurance?

Always know that when it comes to saving money for shopping around is the golden rule. Make sure that you know exactly what you are entitled to. Your company might be offering you a bad deal or not the best. Shopping around at least twice a year is highly recommended to fully comprehend if you are getting the best deal that you can get. Here are five good reasons why shopping around is great:

  • You've purchased a new car: Your car is one of the factors that affect how much you are going to pay for your auto insurance. Contact your auto insurance agent and ask what type of cars will end up saving you money. Economy cars such as the Volkswagen Jetta or the Kia Rio will probably save you more money than purchasing a Bentley or a Mercedes. The more expensive the car, the more responsibility you have and the more expensive the repair will be after damage. Not only does the car class affect insurance rates, but more importantly, so does its safety. Depending on the car safety and its performance in crash tests, your rates will vary.

  • You've recently married: After the guests leave and you check out of the honeymoon hotel, it's time to think about combining your auto insurance policies. Did you know that you will probably save yourself a lot of money by combining your policies? However, keep in mind that if your spouse has a bad driving record, then combining policies won't be a good idea. In fact, you might lose money when combining policies with someone who has a bad driving record. Basically, someone with a bad driving record doesn't usually find an insurance company willing to insure him with ease.

  • Just moved: The location of a person is one of the many factors that affect your auto insurance rates. The more dangerous the location, the higher your rates will be. If you are moving into a safer location, shop around for insurance once more and see if you can get better rates than you already have. However, if you are moving into a neighborhood that is considered more dangerous than your previous location, then shopping around is even more crucial.

  • Aren't satisfied with rates: It is never a bad time to shop around for insurance. If you aren't satisfied with your auto insurance rats, you don't have to settle for what you don't like. Keep in mind that there is probably a better insurance company out there that will be able to assist you better than your previous company.

  • Changing profession: When changing your profession, it is probably necessary to shop around for better rates. Look for discounts such as a low mileage discounts or a good student discount.

By: www.2insure4less.com

What should I know about purchasing a vehicle?

There are a lot of things that you need to know about purchasing a vehicle and of those crucial aspects happens to be insurance.

Here are some other things you should be aware of:

Make sure you shop around before making any decisions

Look at ratings

Make sure you know what the ratings mean

Be sure to pick a safe car

Do your research online before making any decisions

Keep in mind that insurance is an important factor when it comes to purchasing vehicles

Don't focus primarily on the price

Don't purchase an expensive vehicle unless you can make the insurance payments for it

Keep in mind that the more expensive your vehicle, the higher your premiums are likely to become

Make sure that you check online for car deals

Check at different dealerships for different prices

Make sure that you know what the car you are purchasing is

Focus on the safety features

Look at features such as airbags, GPS navigation system, etc...

If you are running on a low budget, be sure to tell that to the dealers immediately

Tell them how much you can afford paying for your car

Consider purchasing a certified used vehicle

Do your research

By: www.2insure4less.com

Get Renters Insurance Quotes

There are many ways that you can get renters insurance quotes without having to stress out too much. Many people think that obtaining renters insurance quotes is a long, arduous task. The fact of the matter is that this can be the truth, but when it comes down to it things do not have to be this way. If you take your time and search for renters insurance quotes in a number of different areas you should never run into any problems. The only thing that you will have to do is decide on where to get renters insurance quotes, and then make a decision as to which one is the best one to buy.

In today's world you can get renters insurance quotes without ever having to leave your home or office. The number one place to get renters insurance quotes is online. The internet gives you the ability to get several renters insurance quotes without any trouble at all. After you find a site that offers renters insurance quotes you can then move forward by following their directions. In no time at all you will have plenty of quotes that can put you on the right path to success.

Another way to get renters insurance quotes is to speak with an agent on the phone. To do this you should find a couple insurance companies in your area, and then call them. They should be able to give you a renters insurance quote as well as any other information that you may have. For many people this is even easier than getting quotes via the internet because they can ask an agent any questions that they may have on their mind.

As you can see, obtaining renters insurance quotes is not an endless and time consuming task. Anybody can get several renters insurance quotes within a matter of minutes by either using the internet or calling an agent. If you want to get the best of both worlds you can exercise both of these options.

By: www.2insure4less.com

Geico Renters Insurance Information

Geico has taken the world by storm as far as the insurance industry is concerned. Not only does Geico offer some of the lowest prices on insurance policies, but they also have a wide range of offerings available. One of their biggest sellers is renters insurance. Even though Geico renters insurance may not be as popular as their automobile policies, they definitely have a lot to offer. So if you are in the market for renters insurance you should look into what Geico has to offer.

There are a lot of people who look down on Geico renters insurance because they feel that the company is nothing more than a cheap alternative to the industry leaders. In the past people may have been able to get away with this assessment, but in today's day and age that is no longer true. You can buy Geico renters insurance with 100 percent confidence that they will be able to keep you covered for as long as you hold the policy.

One of the best things about Geico is that they offer a great customer service team. When you buy Geico renters insurance you will not be teamed up with your own agent, but you will have access to a customer service team that is proven to be one of the best in the industry. Anytime that you have questions about your Geico renters insurance or you have to file a claim, the customer service department will be there to assist you.

Overall, Geico renters insurance is an option that you should consider. Although there is a lot of competition in this sector of the insurance industry, Geico is standing at the top of the crowd. Passing on Geico renters insurance may be one of the biggest mistakes that you ever make. They offer low prices as well as a high level of customer service. It does not get any better than that, does it?

By: www.2insure4less.com

Individual Dental Insurance

Dental insurance may be less effective than dental plans, but it is usually offered free.

Don't wait until you already have problems with your teeth to get dental insurance! Instead, you should get dental insurance as soon as you can. One reason for this involves the things that can go wrong with your teeth - and the other reason is that usually this insurance will also cover the costs of bi-yearly check ups to make sure that your teeth are still strong and healthy.

Dental insurance is slightly different than most dental plans since you will have to get it through your employer. Dental insurance is not usually offered to individuals, and is instead offered to major companies. If you are offered this insurance through your employer, then you should take it since it will be either free or very cheap, and is definitely worth it if you can get it.

That being said, there are some disadvantages to dental insurance, one of which being that it is not generally available to regular people unless they can get it through their employers. The other disadvantages are that generally this insurance will not cover all types of dental work, and it also usually has a spending limit per year. Therefore, if you do not already have dental insurance through your job, then you should look for a different type of dental plan.

Most people who cannot afford dental insurance get involved with dental plans, some of which are quite cheap. These plans also tend to cover part of your dental costs, instead of all of them. Therefore, these plans are less like insurance and more as though you are just getting a discount on your dental work.

Finally, another thing to consider is that if you have dental insurance from your employer and you're looking for something to cover everything else, a discount dental plan may help. Some people find that it is best to have both plans just in case.

In any case, dental insurance is a great deal if you can get it for free through your employer, thought it is not a very good purchase to make on your own. Also, before buying any dental insurance, make sure that you find out how much and what is covered by the plan.

By Jakob Jelling
Published: 8/8/2005

How to Shop for Individual Health Insurance

Some useful suggestions for navigating through the maze of options reagrding individaul health insurance coverage.

If you find yourself in the position of shopping for an individual health insurance policy, there are certain things you'll want to keep in mind. Whether you are coming out of a job that covered you before, or are at the end of your COBRA benefits, or simply have never had coverage before there are things you can do to get coverage on yourself and your loved ones.

The basic thing to know is that if you have a shot a group health insurance, whether through a job or an association you're a member of, that is usually much more affordable than buying individual health insurance on your own. First you need to figure out your health insurance goals; in other words, what are you after? If you're young, healthy as a horse, no dependents and not attempting Mt. Everest next week, you may want to opt for a policy that covers only the catastrophes, and cover the rest out-of-pocket. On the flip side of that, if you're the sole bread winner with a family to support, the scenario is different.

The basic choices you'll have are Fee-for-Service, Managed Care Plans, and Association-based health insurance. Fee-for- service is the traditional indemnity plan, harder to acquire, more expensive, but usually great coverage. Managed care plans include most HMO's and PPO's. These offer lower costs but your choices are somewhat limited. Another way to get insured is through a group or association you may already be a member of, such as professional, religious or trade organizations. Often they may offer health insurance. It's worth checking out, as sometimes you can strike gold in this vein.

Things to consider when you're looking for any policy are what's covered on this plan, how much are the monthly premiums, what is the yearly out-of-pocket, what is the deductible, how much are office visits, does it cover preventative medicine, vision, dental? And I'm sure you can come up with many of your own. Sit down before you go shopping and make a list of your needs and wants, and decide in advance what you're willing to give to get. Be aware that once you start getting quotes they can vary as much as 50% for the same person! Remember, you're shopping, and nobody's making you do anything. If one insurer isn't cutting it, move on to another. If you're coming at this cold and have no good recommendations it may be wise to use a broker who represents several companies, as he or she wil be more likely to find the best policy for you, as opposed to selling the company they work for.

Shopping for individual health insurance can be frustrating and time-consuming, but if you come armed with facts you'll be able to navigate this highly competitive and ever-changing field.

Keith Thompson is the webmaster at Health Insurance Plans, a site geared toward helping you find great individual health insurance!

By Keith Thompson
Published: 4/18/2005

How to Get the Best Individual Health Insurance Quote Online

Looking for health insurance? Want to know where to get the best individual health insurance quote online? Here's how ...

Individual Health Insurance Plans

The first step in getting the best individual health insurance quote is to have a basic understanding of each plan so you can make an informed decision about which is right for you. Here are the pros and cons of the most popular plans:

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization)

This plan sets you up with a network of health care providers which you must use when you're ill.

Pros - This is the cheapest plan with the least amount of paperwork. Copayments are cheap, usually $5 to $15 per doctor visit.

Cons - You can only see doctors within your network, and you must first visit your designated primary physician who will either treat you or refer you to a specialist.

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization)

This plan also sets you up with a network of health care providers.

Pros - You may see a specialist within your network without getting permission from your primary physician and you may see physicians outside your network by paying a fee.

Cons - Costs slightly more than an HMO. If you see a non-network doctor you may have to pay a deductible or pay the difference between the network doctor's fee and the non-network doctor's fee.

POS (Point-of-Service Plan)

Like HMOs and PPOs this plan sets you up with a health care network.

Pros - You may see physicians outside your network, but it will cost more than seeing an in-network physician.

Cons - If you don't receive permission to see a non-network physician you may end up paying the entire bill.

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/health-insurance.html or click on the following link to get individual health insurance quotes online from top-rated companies in your area and see how much you can save. You can get more health insurance tips by going to their "Articles" section.

The author, Brian Stevens, is a former insurance agent and financial consultant who has written extensively on getting the best individual health insurance quotes online.

By Brian Stevens
Published: 4/11/2007

How To Get Affordable Individual Dental Insurance Plans

Insurance is a method by which an individual tries to reduce the financial risk of unexpected events. Individual dental insurance is a type of insurance wherein an individual buys an individual dental insurance plan from an insurance company by paying a monthly or annual premium. If during the insurance coverage period, the individual incurs costs on dental treatment, then the insurance company reimburses that costs to the individual.

There are a variety of dental insurance plans available in the market. A search on the internet will give hundreds of results. It is easy to get confused with so many options. However there are basic principles of insurance which when applied can reduce the overall costs to the individual. Some of them are explained below.

Deductibles. When you take dental treatment while under the coverage of a dental insurance plan, you can claim the bill from the insurance company. The company will deduct the deductible and pay the rest to you. Deductible is predefined, so choose a dental insurance plan giving due thought to deductible. The higher the deductible, the lower the premium.

Co-insurance. Co-insurance is the percentage of the dental costs that you will pay and the rest is paid by the insurance company. The higher the co-insurance the lower is the premium.

Individual dental insurance plans are available to individuals only and not through employers, hence they tend to be expensive. If you are a frequent visitor to the dentist, then keep co-insurance and deductibles low, but if you are an occasional visitor, select a plan which has co-insurance and deductibles on the higher side and premium on the lower side.

Individual dental insurance plans are available to lawyers, artists, writers, software freelance programmers, small businessmen, self-employed etc.

Find more about Dental Insurance here. More useful content on LeanderNet

By Oliver Turner
Published: 3/7/2007

How To Resolve Your Health Insurance Claims Dispute

Are you having trouble getting your insurance company to pay for your healthcare? Resolving health insurance claims disputes is a long, difficult process, but given the rising costs of medical care, it's definitely worth the effort. Here are some steps you can follow to maximize your chance of success.

Difficulty: Hard

Time Required: More than you think it will


Here's How:

Gather all of your paperwork. You will need the following:

  • Policy documents describing what is covered and what is not.


  • Correspondence from the insurance company denying your claim.


  • Doctor's and hospital bills.

  • Read your policy documents carefully.


You may be surprised to find that the medical services you received are explicitly excluded in your policy. However, in many cases, the healthcare procedure in dispute is either not specifically mentioned in the policy documents, or there is some grey area open to interpretation. Make a note of the sections of the policy document that specifically pertain to your situation.

Call your insurance company.


Explain to the claims adjustor why you believe your claim was denied in error. Make sure you get the name of the person you speak with, and do not hang up without getting a date by which your claim will be resolved. Call them back on that date if your claim has not been resolved.


  • Document all of your phone calls with the insurance company.
  • Don't give up.


If your claim has not been resolved through your efforts with the insurance company, contact your state's department of insurance to file an appeal. Each state has slightly different procedures for appealing insurance claims denials - check here for the procedure in your state.

From Kelly Montgomery

How to handle a health insurance claim dispute

Health insurance is a very tricky business. Policies are often dozens of pages long spelling out exactly what is and what isn't covered in a version of English that can be described as nothing but legalese. When medical insurance claims get denied, most people just give up because it's such a mess to deal with the system, but there are proactive steps that you can take to ease the burden on you, make sure everything was done properly, and possibly get the claim paid.

The first thing you need to do is just don't give up. Insurance companies know that a large percentage of people will just give up rather than dealing with the insurance company. Be persistent and diligent in your actions and fight to get your claim paid.

When you do make the first contact with the insurance company, be polite and professional. Yelling and screaming at them for not paying your claim will likely not result in having your claim paid. Be sure to make your contact in writing, telephone calls mean almost nothing in the insurance world. If it's not documented on paper, it's almost like it never happened. The insurance company can simply deny that the call occurred and there's really not much you can do about it.

When you write your first letter, request a copy of the policy. You can't make smart decisions if you don't know what rights and responsibilities you have as laid out by your insurance policy. Read them and find out whether or not you have a valid reason to appeal the rejected claim. In that letter, also ask for details as to why your claim was rejected. Ask them for the provision under the policy that you were excluded by, a specific reason why the claim was denied, the name and license number of the person who decided to deny your claim, a list of any alternative treatment that the policy does cover, instructions for initiating an appeal, and instructions for filing an external appeal if the internal appeal was rejected.

Be diligent, most health insurance companies only allow you to appeal the decision within a short amount of time, often as low as 60 days. So make sure that you start following up immediately after the claim was denied.

If the claim is for more than a few hundred dollars, it's definitely worth visiting an attorney that specializes in health care or insurance. Have them review your claim and determine whether or not there's merit to your case or if there's anything else that you can do. Sometimes an experienced attorney can help solve your problem with a couple of letters. It's not always the case, but it's well worth it to have an expert on your side fighting for you.

Dealing with insurance companies is certainly not the most fun thing to do in the world, that's granted, but don't give up. Be professional, firm and diligent in your actions and make sure that if your claim is ultimately rejected that it is done so for a valid and legitimate reason.

Learn more about this author, Matthew Paulson.

How to Get Your Health Insurance Claim Paid

Having a hard time getting that health insurance claim paid or have questions about what's a payable benefit? Maybe this should help.

Like many people I didn't have a regular physician and whenever I had a minor ailment I found myself in one of those quick clinics. While nothing was ever life threatening before I made an appointment I'd call to first find out if they participated with my insurance carrier. Before making any appointment you should contact the physician's office and ask if they participate with your carrier.

If they participate with your carrier go ahead and make the appointment, but remember you may have a co-payment (if the doctor is a participating member in a Preferred Provider Organization- PPO) for an office visit or you may have to pay directly for an office visit since most are non payable benefits. You may have to pay for an injection if needed.

However, if your physician determines you need further tests to help diagnose an ailment ask the receptionist at your physician's office to give you a procedure code of the test. A procedure code is five digit number which defines the service. You can call your insurance provider with this number and they can assist you as to if the procedure is payable under the terms of your policy. Most customer service representatives will ask for this number.

For certain procedures you may need to have a diagnosis code which relates to the test you may be facing. Both a procedure and diagnosis code are usually used for CT Scans.

It's also a common practice for doctors to submit laboratory or radiological tests to a local hospital for review so don't panic when you receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) form with the name of a hospital on it. Automatically your mind will tell you this may be a case of fraud since you weren't at the hospital and generally after calling the insurance company they'll ask if you were seen at the doctor's office on the day in question.

When a doctor or hospital bills the insurance company they will usually do it electronically and in many cases claims will reject due to lack of information which was submitted at the time the claim was billed. If this happens contact your carrier and ask what information is required. Chances are your medical records will be needed for further review.

Depending on your insurance carrier they will request them for you or they may refer you back to the provider to obtain them yourself. Once the records are obtained they will be manually reviewed for payment consideration.

You should also know that many doctors and hospitals are required to submit claims two years from the date of service. Claims which are submitted after the filing date are ineligible for payment consideration and you should not be held liable for their error.

Unfortunately, billing clerks in both venues "think they know it all" and they "have the power." Do not let them intimidate you. So if you do encounter a problem contact your carrier and explain the situation to them. They may be able to help resolve any outstanding issues when it comes to paying a claim.

The same holds true if you find yourself dealing with a collection agent. These vultures are lurking in the wings since most hospitals are expecting payment the moment you check out of the hospital. (If you are hospitalized it's best not to have a television or a phone in your room since they charge a large fee and these charges are always hard to figure out. While you are responsible for the payment of them they may try to keep collecting the money after you've already paid them).

When you first receive a notice from a collection agency call your carrier immediately for a status of your claim. Again they should be able to assist you regarding this matter. If they haven't received a claim for the date of service contact the billing department of the doctor or hospital and always be sure to document the day, time and who you spoke to.

Sometimes claims do fall through the cracks but hopefully this information should be helpful when it comes time to having a claim paid.

By Eric Tuchelske

Fight for Your Rights: Health Insurance Claims

One of the biggest concerns in planning one's personal finances is the high cost of medical care. Many people go to great lengths just to obtain health insurance, working at jobs outside their chosen profession or accepting low-paying work solely for the benefits. Because the costs of individual health insurance policies are often prohibitively high, these decisions make economic sense, but they're not always the most desirable choices from a personal perspective.

Having good health insurance doesn't mean you never have to worry about medical costs again. Like any other insurance company, health insurance providers may deny claims if your policy doesn't cover a particular procedure or type of care. While a recent study shows that some private insurers, such as Aetna (NYSE: AET) and Humana (NYSE: HUM), pay claims relatively quickly, they still have higher rates of denials than do government programs such as Medicare. If your claim is denied, you need to do a number of things to fight the denial and give yourself the best chance of getting your claim paid.

Know your policy


The first step in getting the coverage you deserve is to understand as much as you can about what types of medical services your policy covers. Even the best health insurance policies don't provide unlimited coverage for every conceivable medical need. Furthermore, most policies have substantial limitations and restrictions on benefits for a wide range of conditions, and many also require you to follow certain rules and procedures to make claims. Without carefully reviewing your policy, you may mistakenly assume that your insurance will pay the costs for the medical care you need even if the policy explicitly excludes coverage.

The best time to acquaint yourself with your health insurance policy is when you first get coverage. It's easy to procrastinate until you need medical care, but you won't be at your best once you're ill or injured, and digging through insurance documents probably isn't how you want to spend your recovery time.

Follow the rules


Even though many of the procedures that insurance companies require you to follow are cumbersome, it pays to follow them as much as you can. In some cases, insurance companies require that you get pre-approval on certain types of medical care before the care begins. If your doctor advises a particular course of treatment for a medical problem, get in touch with your insurance company before proceeding with the treatment, to make sure that you follow the required guidelines.

However, if you fail to follow the correct procedures, you shouldn't give up. While not going by the book may make things more complicated, you can still work to get your claim accepted.

Work with your doctor


When you need medical care, you often rely on your doctor to make an appropriate diagnosis and suggest a course of action. It's tempting to extend that reliance to health insurance issues as well. After all, since your doctor deals with health insurance all the time, you may fairly assume that he or she knows more about it than you do.

However, with all of the different types of insurance available, you simply can't depend on your doctor's ability to know what every single type of policy will or won't cover. The increasing complexity of procedures on health insurance claims has led many doctors to hire full-time staff members whose sole responsibility is processing such claims. Ultimately, you're responsible for understanding how your insurance works.

On the other hand, there are times when you'll be able to work with your doctor to ensure that your insurance will cover your medical costs. In some cases, whether you have coverage will depend on how your doctor diagnoses your medical condition. By telling your doctor what's covered and what's not, you may get the diagnosis you need so as to get your claim paid.

Dealing with denial


Despite your best efforts, your insurance company may deny your claim. The first thing to do is to review what your insurer sends you, along with your medical bills, in search of erroneous charges or incorrect coding of expenses. If your denial letter doesn't clearly state the company's reason for denying your claim, call your insurer and have the company explain it. Keep records of who you spoke with and what was said. In many cases, your insurer may be willing to correct a simple mistake without much work.

If, however, you find no such errors and the denial appears to be for a valid reason, you should request a formal appeal from your insurance company. Each company has slightly different rules for appeals, but many have fixed deadlines, so don't delay if you choose to file an appeal.

If you lose your appeal, some state governments provide additional oversight over health insurance plans. Check with your state's insurance department to get additional assistance with your claims process. You may be able to obtain an independent review of the merits of your claim by people outside your insurance company. If you have coverage through your employer, you can also check with your state's labor or workforce department to see whether they offer a separate appeals process.

Given the difficulty that many health professionals have in navigating their way through the vagaries of health insurance, you shouldn't feel bad if you don't immediately understand everything about your policy. The main point, however, is that because you're paying for your health insurance coverage, you should get everything you're entitled to receive. Although that doesn't mean your insurance company will pay every single medical expense, it's usually worth the time and effort to stand up and fight if your insurer unfairly denies a legitimate claim.

By Dan Caplinger (TMF Galagan)

How are Health Insurance Claims Processed?

Every insurance company has its own claim procedures. When filing a claim with your health insurance, you need to follow the steps as outlined by your insurance company. In most cases, claims are denied by a mere technicality.

The best place to find information on claiming your medical insurance is your health insurance company itself. Generally, you are provided a toll free contact number that you can call during business hours. When speaking with your health insurance company's representative on the phone, you may be required to provide some details like your policy number and name of the primary insured of the policy. After this, the representative can access the details of your policy and guide you on the steps you need to take to your claim.

If you happen to be a Managed Care Plan participant and have a covered benefit, the process is pretty straightforward. You just have to visit your insurance company and the staff there will take care of the rest. They will take care of everything -- from entering the appropriate code for the service rendered to sending the paperwork back to you. You will receive a document detailing your visit to the office. The document will also give the details on how much the company paid, how much was applicable as deductible and the balance that you are supposed to pay, if any. At the time you avail the medical care, you only need to pay the co-payment amount.

Before, an Indemnity Plan holder is required to pay the entire amount for the medical service rendered to them upfront. Then the policyholder has to complete lengthy claim documents, which usually took weeks to clear. But nowadays, the front office personnel directly bill the insurance company first and after the company pays up the percentage, the balance will be taken from you, the patient. If there is a disagreement over the payment, you will have to pay it up. You can then sort it out with your insurance company later on.

Computerization has made the medical billing process very easy. You no longer have any extra costs to bear apart from paying your co-payment amount. If you have not satisfied your deductible, the paperwork is still forwarded so as to help keep track of the use of policy and the payments due. The task involved in processing a claim is complex, but health insurance claims for covered benefits are nowadays settled in a short period of time.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Easy Health Insurance Guide. A website that specializes in providing health insurance advice to include easy ways to find cheaper health insurance by providing tips on lowering your health insurance costs that you can research in your pajamas from the comfort of your own home on his website at http://www.easyhealthinsuranceguide.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Gorman

How to Dispute a Health Insurance Claim

Like every other financial document you receive, it's important to check over each and every record you get from your health insurance company. Most importantly, always keep a running tally of each family member's medical charges, as well as an up - to - date total of your family's combined medical expenses.

Sometimes, deductibles can be miscalculated, and you could end up paying individual deductibles when the family deductible was already met, or maybe even exceeded!

Medical insurance plans vary, but several do institute "out-of-pocket limitations." This means, that, once you and your family have accrued and paid out a set amount for covered medical care, the insurance company will then pay 100 percent of any covered costs for the rest of that calendar year.

If you have this feature on your policy, the running tallies I spoke of earlier will enable you to accurately keep track. You surely don't want to pay more than you have to!

Your Health Insurer Won't Cough Up the Money?

You've probably heard the old saying that you "Can't fight City Hall!" Insurance companies are even bigger than your average city hall. They're giant conglomerates that hold the reins of a great deal of financial, as well as political, powers, but ... guess what? You can fight City Hall, and you can lock horns, if need be, with your insurance company!

A common problem is the denial of a claim. Any and all claims that your insurer may refuse to pay means, initially, "Take a deep breath and open your checkbook... wide!"

You should take appropriate steps to remedy the situation if you feel a claim was wrongly denied.


How To Claim What's Rightfully Yours!

1. Take the denial letter to your Benefits Administrator at your place of employment. Explain the situation to them. The administrator might have the answers "right off the bat" as to why your claim was denied. If he/she can't find a plausible reason, they might call the insurance company for you. If not, at least they can offer professional advice on how to proceed.

2. You might very well end up calling the provider yourself. If you do, ask to speak to the Claims Processing Department. When you reach the appropriate employee, find out why - in plain English - your claim was denied.

3. If you're not satisfied with the answer you get, then the next step is to ask to speak to their supervisor.

You're problem could be a simple mistake, like a wrong diagnosis code, for example.

This happened to me once: a supplemental insurance company argued that a family member did not spend a part of their hospital stay in the Intensive Care Unit because, according to the billing code, they spent their entire hospital stay in a regular room. Wrong! We disputed the claim. It was found that the wrong code was used, and the problem was resolved.

4. If you're still sure that your claim should have been accepted, and the insurance company still won't budge, don't give up! There's still hope!

By Kassidy Emmerson

How to File a Group Health Insurance Claim

Filing a group health insurance claim is not a complicated process if you know what you're doing. Follow these steps.

Instructions


Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Step One

Read you insurance policy to learn what it covers.

Step Two

Talk to your insurance provider. They can explain to you about your coverage plan, if you don't understand it. Some terms can be confusing.

Step Three

See if you have a managed care plan. If you do, all you have to do is go to the medical facility. They will fill out all of the necessary paper work for you.

Step Four

Find out if you have an indemnity plan. In this case, you would have to fill out lengthy paper work.

Step Five

Fill out the necessary forms online. Most insurance companies are now on the web. There are many who have forms that can be accessed online. Find out what your health insurance provider's website is and if their forms are on the website. If not, get paper versions and complete them.

Step Six

Send paper forms you fill out in a timely manner. Most insurance companies have a time limit on when forms can be turned in, after the medical service is received.

Tips & Warnings

Contact your insurance company and ask all questions you may have. They know best how file for claims. Each insurance company is different, so there isn't just one way.

When you first apply for health insurance, find out as much information regarding your coverage and filing for claims as you can. You never know when you will have to file a claim, and you want to avoid confusion later on in the process.

by eHow Business Editor

Affordable Health Insurance Plans

Health Insurance costs have gone through the roof in recent years, but finding an affordable health insurance plan may not be as hard as you think. Here are simple explanations of the four basic plans and you can save money on them.

Health Insurance Plans

There are four basic types of health insurance:

1. Indemnity - This is the most expensive plan. It allows you to choose your own doctor and hospital. It's the most flexible plan because it allows you to make your own decisions about your health care. You pay your bill after services are rendered and are then reimbursed by your insurance company.

2. Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) - This is the cheapest plan. It provides you with a network of doctors and hospitals chosen by your insurance company. You pay a monthly fee for this plan and all visits and prescriptions must be approved by your HMO.

3. Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) - This is the most popular plan. It's similar to an HMO, but you pay for medical care after it's received instead of paying a monthly fee. You also have the option of seeing out-of-network doctors. Visits within the network require a small fee, while out-of-network visits may require a deductible payment and a co-payment.

4. Point of Service (POS) Plan - This is more expensive than HMOs and PPOs but much cheaper than an idemnity plan. It's for people who want to have the option of choosing their own doctor and hospital or staying with a network doctor and hospital.

Choosing an Affordable Health Insurance Plan

The first thing you have to do is to figure out which health insurance plan is best for you.

If you want the most flexibility, then a POS plan is your best bet. If you want the cheapest plan and don't don't mind your doctors being chosen for you, then an HMO is what your looking for. If you want more freedom of choice than an HMO and are willing to pay a little more for your insurance, then a PPO is a good choice. And if you're a senior and want to supplement your Medicare insurance, then a Medicare supplement is what you need.

After you choose a plan, the best way to find the best rate is to go to an insurance comparison website where you can compare rates from a number of different companies. The better sites even have a chat feature where you can talk online with an insurance expert and get answers to your questions. (See link below.)

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/health-insurance.html or click on the following link to get free health insurance plan quotes from top-rated companies in your area and see how much you can save. You can get more health insurance tips by checking out their "Articles" section.

The author, Brian Stevens, is a former insurance agent and financial consultant who has written numerous articles on affordable health insurance plans.

By Brian Stevens
Published: 4/2/2007

Affordable Short Term Health Insurance Plans - Where to Get Them

Do you need immediate medical insurance coverage because you're between jobs, waiting for company insurance, or a college grad? Here's how to get an affordable short term health insurance plan quickly and easily.

What is a short term health insurance plan?

Short term health insurance plans provide temporary health insurance for a period of one to six months. Premiums are relatively cheap and in most cases you don't need to submit to a medical exam unless you're over 55 and haven't had a medical exam in the last 10 years.

Most insurance companies let you extend your plan if you didn't file a claim and your health is the same as it was during the initial insurance period.

What does a short term health insurance plan cover?

Short term health insurance plans are major medical plans that cover you if you're injured or become ill. Coverage includes emergency care, prescription drugs, hospital care, X-ray fees, and lab costs.

These plans do not cover preventive care, routine medical exams, or pre-existing medical conditions, and do not provide optical or dental coverage.

Where can I get an affordable short term health insurance plan?

Short term health insurance plans are relatively cheap, but you should still compare quotes to get the best rate.

In order to get the cheapest rate you need to compare quotes from a number of companies. The easiest way to do that is to go to an insurance comparison website where you fill out a single questionnaire, enter the type of coverage and the deductible you want, then compare rates.

The better sites even have a chat feature where you can talk with an insurance expert online and get answers to your insurance questions. (See link below.)

To save money on these plans you can raise your deductible (the amount you pay on a claim before the insurance company pays), and choose a 50/50 copayment (you pay half the claim and your insurer pays half ), instead of the typical 80/20 copay.

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/health-insurance.html or click on the following link to get affordable short term health insurance plan quotes from top-rated companies in your area and see how much you can save. You can get more health insurance tips by checking out their "Articles" section.

The author, Brian Stevens, is a former insurance agent and financial consultant who has written extensively on affordable short term health insurance plans.

By Brian Stevens
Published: 4/25/2007

Get a Cheap Health Insurance Quote the Quick and Easy Way

Health care costs are sky high, and consequently so are health insurance rates. So how can you get a cheap health insurance quote? Here's how ...

Cheap Health Insurance Plans

The cheapest health insurance plans are Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs), and Point-of-Service plans (PPOs).

HMOs

HMOs are the least expensive of the health insurance plans. They provide health care through a network of doctors and hospitals.

With most plans you pay a small fee known as a copayment for each doctor visit. You don't have to fill out a bunch of forms as you would with a traditional plan, and there are no deductibles to pay.

When you're ill you must consult your primary doctor, also known as a gatekeeper, who will either treat you or refer you to a specialist. You are not covered if you choose to go to a doctor who is not part of your network.

PPOs

PPOs cost slightly more than than HMOs, and are the most popular health insurance plans because they provide more flexibility than HMOs. They too provide health care through a network of health providers.

Your copayment for each doctor's visit is about the same as an HMOs, and there are no forms to fill out and no deductibles to pay. There are no gatekeepers with a PPO so you can see a specialist without first seeing your primary care physician.

POSs

POS plans cost more than HMOs and PPOs, but provide the most flexibility of the three health insurance plans. They provide health care through a health provider network, but you also have the option of seeing a doctor of your choice.

Copayments for doctor visits within the network are about the same as they are for HMOs and PPOs, and you will be reimbursed up to 80% for your out-of-network doctor visits after you pay a deductible.

Cheap Health Insurance Quotes

The best way to get cheap health insurance quotes is to go to an insurance comparison website. Here you can get quotes from health insurance companies so you can compare rates. Some sites even have an insurance expert on call so you can chat with him or her online and get answers to all your questions. (See link below.)

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/health-insurance.html or click on the following link to get cheap health insurance quotes from top-rated companies in your area. You can get more health insurance tips by checking out their "Articles" section.

The author, Brian Stevens, is a former insurance agent and financial consultant who has written a number of articles on how to get cheap health insurance quotes.

By Brian Stevens
Published: 4/11/2007

Instant Renters Insurance Quotes

If you are searching for instant renters insurance quotes you are in luck. There are many places that you can turn in order to get the renters insurance that you need in a hurry. Although it is not a good idea to wait until the last minute to buy renters insurance, if you find yourself in this situation there is no reason to get down on yourself. You can instead search for instant renters insurance, and get all of your problems taken care of right away.

At this point you may be thinking about how you can buy instant renters insurance, right? Well the best way to do this is by going online. Like a lot of things in today's world, if you want to get something quick you turn to the internet. And when it comes to renters insurance this is no different. You can buy instant renters insurance within a matter of minutes if you get started in the right place. This will help you to cut back on the time on the phone, and in turn get a policy in place as soon as possible. For most people buying instant renters insurance beats having to go through a long drawn out process.

To get instant renters insurance you will need to find a company that offers online quotes and buying options. This way you can fill out the quote form and then get an idea of what type of premium you are going to have to pay. From there all you have to do is follow up with the necessary paper work and pay your insurance company. When it comes down to it this is about as instant as it gets.

As you can see the internet is the best place to buy instant renters insurance. If you are in a hurry to get a policy in place the internet is your answer. It will allow you to purchase a top notch policy without having to go through a lot of steps.

By: www.2insure4less.com

How to Compare Low Cost Health Insurance in Alabama

Being able to afford health insurance is a big problem for many people here in Alabama. In fact, the problem has become so severe that close to 17% of all Alabama residents cannot afford health insurance of any kind.

Fortunately the state of Alabama has made low-cost health insurance available to many people who might not otherwise be able to afford it. Children under the age of eighteen, college students, pregnant women and others may be able to qualify for low-cost health insurance through one or more state-sponsored programs.

For those individuals who do not qualify for a state-sponsored program there are still several simple things you can do that may help to reduce the cost of your monthly health insurance premium. And once you know what things you can do to lower the cost of your health insurance, then it will be time to get online and compare the cost of your premium-saving policy at every health insurance company that sells policies in Alabama until you have found the very lowest cost possible for the insurance you need.

Let's start with some lifestyle changes. These are the most difficult things for most people to do, even though they can potentially save the most on your health insurance.

Don't smoke or use chew or any other tobacco product. You know in your heart of hearts that tobacco products are not good for your health, and insurance companies know this too. That's why they charge tobacco users anywhere from 20% to 50% more for their health insurance than they charge non-smokers.

Losing weight is even more difficult than stopping smoking for most people, but if you are overweight you are going to pay more for your health insurance. Again, this is simply a fact of life. The good news is that losing even a small amount of weight can potentially drop you down on the insurance company's weight chart and can potentially save you hundreds of dollars each and every year in premium payments. Every little bit can potentially help.

Are your weekends filled with extreme or dangerous sports or hobbies? As fun and exciting as they may be, the fact is you are going to pay more for health insurance if you put your life and health at risk unnecessarily. The same goes for driving a fancy sports car.

And were you aware that your credit rating can also affect how much you pay for your health insurance? As strange as it may seem, the better your credit score the lower your health insurance premium.

Group health insurance is always less expensive than individual health care, plus group plans will often overlook smoking, weight and some pre-existing conditions that would drive the cost through the roof if you were purchasing an individual policy. If your place of employment does not offer a group plan start asking around at any club, organization or association you belong to. You may be surprised to find that some group you never even thought about offers its members group health insurance. Ask your friends and co-workers if any of them belong to a group, club or association that offers group health insurance - and then see if you can join. Ask if any religious organization you belong to offers its members group health insurance.

Look into joining an HMO a PPO or some other form of health maintenance organization. If your favorite doctor is not part of an HMO then you may have to switch doctors, but often you can keep your same doctor if you join a PPO. See if one of these types of groups makes economic sense to you.

If you own a home-based business it may be possible to qualify for group health insurance even if your only employee is a spouse. Ask your insurance agent if this is possible in your case. But even if group health is not a possibility, it still may be possible to deduct your health insurance payments from your taxes if you own your own business - and the tax savings could help offset the cost of your premiums to the point where health insurance is more affordable than you thought.

What about your co-pay and your deductible? If you can increase your co-payment and/or your deductible you can lower the cost of your health insurance. Obviously increasing your co-pay and/or your deductible must be considered carefully as any increase in either represents cash that is coming out of your pocket.

It's finally time for you to take the tips and tricks you picked up from this article and use them when filling out the form on at least 3 of the websites which allow you to compare health insurance prices among the different insurance companies.

Make sure that you fill out the form exactly the same way on all three of the comparison websites you've chosen and then simply pick the company with the lowest cost (being careful to choose a company that you feel confident will still be around when you need them), and your job is done!

You have now compared low cost health insurance in Alabama, you've picked the lowest-priced company and you can feel good about the fact that you are getting the coverage you need at a price you can afford.

By Alexis Jensen

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