Selecting The Health Insurance That Fits Your Needs

Selecting health insurance is not all about rates and quotes but about what fits your family and your budget. People like myself who have been in the insurance business for over fifteen years have seen many changes. Although insurance sometimes gets a bad beat around the office cooler, I can tell you the changes have been for the good.

Back in 1970 you worked for a company and they dictated what kind of policy you would have. And providers did not file insurance for you. There was no comparing rates or choosing policies. Most policies were based on a 80/20 split and the patient was responsible for turning the bill into their company for reimbursement. The doctor had to be paid right then, or least a payment had to be made. Many people put off going to the doctor for this very reason.

This is not true today. Companies and health care providers are more in tune with helping people stay healthy and in promoting preventative care. Insurance companies have finally learned that paying for preventative care can save them money in the long run. Today we have POS (Point of Service) contracts, PPO (Preferred Provider Organization), and HMO(Health Managed Organization) contracts.

Some companies even take it a little further and offer all three of these types of insurance and let you pick which one fits your needs the best. Selecting the health insurance that you need is not that complicated once you understand a little about each type of policy.

How Do You Know Which Is Best For Your Family?

Whether you are picking an individual policy or a group policy from work, there are things to consider before making your selection.

1.Finances for premiums or the amount of the office co-pay can be an issue for some families. What you need to remember is that most policies have a deductible max for families and so every member of your family may not have to reach their deductible before the insurance will pay. For example, your policy has a $200.00 deductible per person but a $600.00 max. So if you are a family of four, you would only have to meet $600.00, not $800.00.
2.How much your family goes to the doctor is a big factor. If your family is very healthy and only a few trips to the doctor a year are made, you can have a policy with lower premiums and higher deductibles and out of pocket expense. Why pay for high premiums when you don't go to the doctor?
3.HMO policies look good from a money

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