We all know the importance of looking after ourselves. Sure, it means exercising and eating well. But it goes beyond that. We need to insure ourselves against situations that are beyond our control.

Misfortune usually strikes without warning and often when we are least prepared. This is where good medical coverage is a necessity. For if we do not have medical coverage, not only will our health suffer, but our financial health will suffer greatly as well.

Full medical insurance is one of the perks of working for an employer with a full medical benefits package. But what if your employer doesn’t offer a medical program or, you are self employed.

Low cost insurance is an option if you have to cover the cost of insurance yourself. But the low cost may imply that it is only the most basic of coverages. Check the reputation of your health care provider, and know that most well established companies will not vary greatly and their prices will be in a close range for the same services. If you find a quote that appears very low, you may wish to look at it more closely and compare it to other basic programs.

But if you can find a policy with all the coverage you need, and not pay a high premium, then take advantage of it. No one wants to pay more than they need to for anything they need to buy.

Now, if you and your family need greater coverage, or you feel your health is an issue, a carefully selected policy will give you coverage for many kinds of situations that the low end, standard insurance may not.

Major medical insurance can be far more comprehensive in the situations they will provide coverage for. It may provide you with coverage while you are away from home. This is an issue that many people do not consider. Your basic, low cost coverage may have restrictions that could be hazardous.

Also, major medical insurance can provide you with services that you may otherwise not have access to in a basic coverage package. If you want a private hospital room when you are sick, or special care ambulance service, major medical coverage will take care of this.

It is difficult to predict what our medical needs will be in the future. Many people prefer to cover all bases if they can afford the extensive coverage premiums.

Whether you are buying basic or full coverage, investing in any insurance should be done with care and education. You need to know about the provider as well as the policy. You need to know about the health yourself and your family. And you want to make sure you can financially afford the better program.

One thing is for sure. If you have no medical insurance, you certainly cannot afford that policy.

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Disaster can strike when you do not have medical insurance for yourself or your family.

Do you think people do not have medical insurance because they don’t want it?— or think it’s frivolous? —What happens when you— Lose Your Job—Get Sick— Or Relocate—.

When you need to make a decision on spending money on medical insurance or food for your family—food wins hands down—. If you are a full time employee and you lose your job—generally you lose your medical coverage also.

This is the time to ask your past employer what is my options for continuing my medical insurance. Cobra can be purchased for a higher premium and for a short time only. It is a stop gap measure only until you next full - time employment.

When people work part time they don’t qualify for medical insurance through their employment. Your employer isn’t dumb. PART TIME EMPLOYMENT FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES MEANS NO MEDICAL INSURANCE PREMIUMS OF THEIR POCKETS. This means you still do not have medical insurance for yourself and your family.

LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS:

You might qualify for Medi-cal or County Medical Services (CMS.) These are the only two government funded agencies that can help you. You are screened by income and the amount of money you have in the bank.— If you as an adult do not qualify for these agencies,—your children might.

CHILDREN:

Children have an easier time qualifying for government assisted programs. There are several programs available for children depending on their special needs.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY:

If you qualify for one of these agencies do not think that filling out one form is all you do. You have to show up for your scheduled appointment and bring the proper paper work with you. —Otherwise, your claim will be denied—.

Medical Insurance is obtained by full - employment or by purchasing it yourself through a private insurance company which is fine for the people that can afford the huge premiums.

INSURANCE COMPANIES:

When you apply for Medical Insurance you may be denied because of a pre-existing condition. This simply means, you have medical problems already and the Medical Insurance Company will not cover you for these problems.

ALTERNATIVE: DISCOUNT CARDS

Discount cards are available through private insurance companies. Let me explain. You still pay a monthly fee but not as much as your typical medical insurance monthly premium. When you go to a doctor or pharmacy you get a cash discount. The only catch is,—you have to pay for your doctor’s visit at the time of the visit—.

You have to be careful when applying for this discount card, just like everything else it could rip you off. So do your homework. These are becoming very popular.

URGENT CARE:

These are medical facilities that take care of minor problems. Anything serious would be referred to a hospital emergency room. You will have to pay for your medical visit at the time of service.

211 PHONE NUMBER

There is a new source of vital information at our finger tips, by calling 211. If this new number is established in your area, one phone call can hook you up to massive information. The people that answer this phone number gives out important everyday useful information.

Example: What is the phone number to Med-cal? I do not have any medical insurance and my child is sick, what do I do? Where can I go to get help for my child? Is there any free clinics available?

These people have all that information and more at their fingertips.

HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS:

When you need medical care the Emergency Room is where most people head. When you get to the Emergency Room you can wait hours to be examined by a doctor. When you are finally examined, the doctor may request lab tests, x-rays etc. These tests can escalate into hundreds even thousands of dollars. What about emergency surgery? What about being a patient in the hospital a few days or longer? The medical bills will start pouring in!

The hospital billing office will ask you these questions:

(l) Can you make monthly payments?

(2) Can you refinance your home?

(3) Can you borrow money from your family or friend?

—You Can Always Negotiate Your Final Bill.—

This amount must be accepted by the facility. You can save yourself thousands of dollars, providing you have the money handy or use a charge card.

When you can’t pay your medical bill—What is the next step?

Your account is sent to a Collection Agency.

MEDICATIONS:

Medicine is sky high. When you don’t have Medical Insurance you have to pay the full amount or go without your medicine.

This is not a simple problem. We are talking millions of people in this situation. —There has to be a solution—.

The Medical Insurance Companies do not want to change. The Pharmaceutical Companies do not want to change.

—We the individual’s must take the first step to change the way medicine is obtained for everybody in this country not just a few! We as individuals need to write our Congressmen to wake up our local, state representatives and federal representatives.

We Need Change In Our Medical Insurance Program. WE WANT MEDICAL CARE FOR EVERYBODY. NOT JUST A FEW.

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The term ‘medical billing’ refers to the process of submitting medical claims to medical insurance companies so that doctors or other healthcare providers can receive payment for services rendered. Additionally, medical billing consists of performing follow up checking of medical billing claims in order to determine the status of approval by insurance companies as well as status of payment.

Over the years medical billing has moved from paper records to electronic record keeping. This innovation has lowered the costs involved in processing medical claims and has also improved client care, as medical history and physician recommendations and treatment plans can be stored in a central location that may be accessed across an entire network. This type of fully integrated electronic solution is more commonly referred to as electronic medical record or EMR.

Increasingly, healthcare providers are considering the advantages presented by outsourcing many of their medical billing, medical claims processing and medical coding processes. These services are being outsourced to less expensive workforces such as those in India and parts of Europe. Also, many medical billing workers work from home. Employers that outsource their medical billing work benefit in a number of ways. Medical billing and claims processing can require a large workforce of people to perform data entry and more advanced medical billing duties. By outsourcing, these healthcare providers don’t have to pay for office space to house this large workforce.

An electronic medical record, or EMR, is a computer-based patient medical record. An EMR allows access of patient data by healthcare staff at any given location within a network of computers. This also means that clinical staff members can input patient care data that will be instantly accessible by anyone else within the data network. These fully integrated types of data management systems allow healthcare providers to easily schedule treatments and care plans that do not conflict with data entered by other members of a patient’s team of healthcare providers. This also tremendously cuts down on the risk of medical mistakes that happen when paper records aren’t updated, or even when sloppy handwriting makes implementation of physician directions difficult.

Before electronic medical billing systems, medical billing and claims processing was done nearly exclusively on paper. With the advent of computers it has become possible to efficiently manage large amounts of claims using electronic medical billing software. Many medical billing software companies provide medical billing software to this particularly lucrative segment of the market.

The medical billing field has been challenged in recent years due to the introduction of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Due to numerable restrictions put in place as a result of these new laws, many medical billing software companies and healthcare offices spent thousands, in some cases tens of thousands, of dollars on updated technology. Those affected by the HIPAA had to redesign and restructure their business processes and software to become compliant with this new act.

Over time there has also developed what is known as ‘straight through billing’. Straight through billing integrates the billing process within the practice management workflow, connecting patient scheduling, healthcare delivery, and medical records management. Every member of a practice’s management workflow receives an updated, unified and coherent picture of practice workload, patient and provider location, resource availability, and cash flow. Straight through billing requires integrated technologies for electronic medical records and straight through billing.

As the medical billing industry continues to evolve, these innovations assist the healthcare providers by lowering their costs of operation, but more importantly patients receive better, more timely and accurate care, thus improving the satisfaction and sense of wellbeing of many patients.

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In the UK around 7 million people spend around £3 billion a year on medical insurance. One in seven policies are taken out by individuals with the balance being put in place by their employers. The problem is that Medical Insurance is complex and few policyholders take the time to really study the details of their cover. As a result, many misunderstand what will be covered. If you expect medical insurance to pay every health claim, you’re mistaken.

Medical Insurance is designed to provide protection for curable, short-term health problems and allow policyholders to jump the NHS queues to see consultants, be diagnosed, receive surgery or be treated. That sounds fine, but before you buy you need to appreciate the treatments and situations that fall outside the scope of the cover.

But first a word of warning. This article does not relate to any specific policy and the terms and conditions issued by individual insurers do vary. So please ensure you also check your policy documents. After reading this article, you’ll know what to look out for!

Sorry – it’s a chronic condition

If a condition can be cured and is not a long-term problem, your insurance company will classify it as acute and should meet the cost. If your problem is incurable or it’s a problem that, despite appropriate treatment, will be with you for a long time, then your insurance company will classify it as chronic - and no, you won’t be covered.

But deciding whether a condition is acute or chronic is fraught with problems. It’s rarely a black and white decision and this can lead to a major area of conflict between policyholder and insurer.

It’s clear that asthma and diabetes are chronic conditions as you’re almost certain to suffer from them for the rest of your life. So those categories of illness are not covered.

Problems arise when Doctors initially consider a patients’ condition to be curable, but the condition later deteriorates and the medical team changes its’ mind, it’s now become incurable. This can sometimes happen, especially in the treatment of certain types of cancer.

In these circumstances, the condition is initially defined as acute and is therefore insured, but deteriorates and becomes chronic - and outside the terms of cover. This is possible as insurers retain the right to reclassify a condition from acute to chronic during treatment.

Sorry - it’s too long term The insurance company will not pay out for long term treatment. But you need to check your policy documents to see how they define “long-term”. You can find the situation where a course of drugs extends for say 12 months, but the insurer will only pay for ten months.

Sorry – it’s preventative Your insurance is designed to pay for the treatment and cure of conditions when they arise. It is not designed to pay for treatments that are used to prevent an illness.

Again, the problem of definition arises. Sometimes it is arguable whether a treatment is preventative or a cure. Take the drug Herceptin for example. This drug can be used in the early stages of breast cancer. Research shows that Herceptin can halve the incidence of cancer returning for women who have a particularly virulent form of the cancer known as HER2. In this situation, is Herceptin offering a cure or is it a preventative?

Insurance companies are split on the debate. Norwich Union, WPA, BUPA and Standard Life Healthcare will pay for Herceptin for HER2 patients whereas Legal and General and Axa PPP will not.

Sorry – the drug is not approved Two of the main attractions for taking out medical insurance are: to jump the queues at the NHS, and to get the latest treatments and drugs. But there’s a rider.

The Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence exists to approve the use of new drugs by the NHS in England and Wales. Until that body has approved the drug your insurer is unlikely to pay for its use. The problem is that the Institute’s brief is to perform a cost/benefit analysis to ensure that the financial benefits to the nation from using the drug, outweigh the costs of using it in the NHS. A difficult brief and it has placed the Institute under scrutiny for the extended delays in drug approval.

The compromise hit on by the Financial Ombudsman is that if your medical policy won’t pay for the use of experimental treatments, then it should meet the cost of an approved conventional treatment with the policyholder footing the bill for the balance if the experimental treatment is more expensive.

Sorry – it’s a pre-existing condition

The basic principle is that if you are already suffering from a condition when you start a policy, then that condition “pre-exists” the policy and any claims for its treatment are invalid.

For this reason, insurance companies insist you complete an exhaustive questionnaire before they agree to insure you. After all they need a clear picture of your medical condition before they quote. For many applications, the insurer will, with your approval, also write to your GP for specific details of your medical history. They like to have a complete picture.

So lets say some years ago you twisted your knee playing tennis. It appeared to recover but now it turns out that you have a torn cruciate ligament and it needs to be operated on. Your medical insurance company could argue that the ligament damage was a pre-existing condition and you have to pay for the operation.

Some insurers try to accommodate these grey areas with a moratorium provision within your policy. These provisions typically say that so long as you have been symptom free for two years relating to any condition you’ve suffered from within the last 5 years, they will pay for subsequent treatment. Not all policies have these moratorium provisions and the time periods do vary between insurers. You should carefully read your policy.

Sorry – its not covered

Medical Insurance is an annual contract – just like your car insurance. So when it comes to renewal, your insurer is at liberty to review not only your premium but also change the conditions on which your cover is provided.

Therefore, if your policy comes up for renewal mid way through a course of treatment, it’s possible to find that your new policy no longer covers that particular treatment. This means that you will have to foot the bill for the balance of the treatment.

Furthermore, with ongoing advances in medical research, more and more conditions are becoming treatable. This progress has the effect of shifting back the dividing line between chronic and acute conditions.

This hits the insurers’ pocket in two ways. With more conditions being reclassified as acute, the number of claims is increasing. And there’s also a trend for new treatments to cost more – Herceptin being a good example. The net result is that the insurers are finding themselves having to pay out far more. This is inevitably passed back to you through increased renewal premiums. And in an attempt to reduce their risk exposure, insurers have a tendency to adjust their definitions and exclusions. This means that you must read your renewal notice closely before you decide to renew.

So if you’re tempted to buy Medical Insurance, be aware that everything is not always black and white. If you’ve got insurance and need treatment, you’re well advised to contact your insurer without delay and get them to confirm that they will meet the cost of your proposed treatment.

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A catastrophic or major medical insurance plan is a deductible and comparatively cheaper form of health insurance with an element of speculation to it. A deductible is the amount you pay out of your pocket for medical expenses before the insurer pays the balance. For instance, if your deductible is $5,000 and the hospital bill is $12,000, the insurance company will pay only $7,000. The general rule is the higher the deductible, the lower the premium. When you opt for this plan, you’re gambling that you will not face major medical problems in the near future.

It is a calculated risk. According to one survey, the annual medical expenses of 90% of the U.S. population are less than $2000; for 73%of the population, it is below $500.

Two groups that normally opt for catastrophic health insurance are young people in their twenties who are confident of their health condition, and older men between fifty and sixty-five who are still waiting for Medicare eligibility.

Catastrophic health insurance coverage is only meant to protect against major hospital charges and not routine medical expenses. It normally does not cover maternity care, doctor’s visits and prescription drugs. Certain pre-existing medical conditions and cases involving mental health and substance abuse are usually excluded from the coverage. A catastrophic health insurance policy can be purchased as an individual plan or as part of a group plan. In fact, there appears to be a trend among employers to encourage employees to opt for this type of medical cover. The maximum lifetime limit could be as high as $3 million.

Rates vary according to where you live and your age. In certain states, the saving on premiums could be two-thirds. For example, a 21 year old, non-smoking female may pay as little as $30 per month as a premium.

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They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away; yeah well so does having no medical insurance. Many of you reading this right now may be thinking I’m only kidding but the alarming fact is that 43.6 million American’s are walking around right now with no medical coverage at all. That is nearly 16 percent of our nation who sacrifice their annual physicals and rely on self-diagnosis of minor ailments, which may be indicative of bigger problems. I only know this because I’m one of those who haven’t been to the doctor since my college housing required it and I have yet to jump through all the hoops it takes to obtain a reasonable coverage program.

Is this possibly the latest hobby for thrill seekers? The latest craze for those who like to live on the edge? No, in fact I would emphasize the fact that with no medical coverage I’ve become quite the germophobe and will rarely be found without my two best friends instant hand sanitizer and my big ol’ can of Lysol. The time I spend each week on WebMD and the money I lay down for my vitamins is a story for another day. The sad thing is I was never like this prior to acknowledging the huge out of pocket costs that accompany an uninsured visit to the doc. I was never afraid of cutting my hand open on a piece of unbroken glass or to nervous to drive during rush hour traffic in fear of risking an accident which would surely involve major injuries.

So maybe I’m exaggerating a little on that last one but the point here is with no medical insurance, you can either watch your back or pay the gianormous fees that doctors are allowed to charge. Of course you will then have to watch your back from all the creditors who will be out to get you and just might do things to you that doctors can’t fix. What is even more worrisome is the types of occupations that do not offer medical coverage these days and the growing number of people being required to insure themselves. A brief study (involving me walking around the mall with a clipboard- and looking very official might I add) exposed that its not just part time retail workers who have to scrounge the bottom of the bargain barrel for leftover HMOs.

The list included occupations ranging from a drycleaner’s store manager (who had to buy her own coverage) to a fellow writer for a local newspaper. Respondents who toped the list however included a pre-school teacher (I was under the impression that a job of that service would most definitely merit some form of benefits) and a construction worker (but as long as he never gets sick and only gets hurt on the job he’s perfectly safe)!

We are so lucky to live in a country where all the best technology and medical research are at our dispose; unfortunately the flip side of that coin makes these resources virtually inaccessible to so many of us. Lets face it though, not all ailments just “go away” and Nyquil may indeed help you get your Z’s but it certainly won’t do the trick against any form of meningitis. Sometimes, you just have to break down, throw up the white flag and make a visit to the doctor or even worse, the dreaded emergency room. Now I’ve had my fair share of jaunts to the ER and don’t get me wrong, I would never complain about the care and attention I received, the doctors and nurses in those places put up with more than I could ever imagine. But from my experiences I will say that the ER is one of the few places where even in today’s politically correct atmosphere, judgments fly and assumptions are a way of life.

Sure there are some alternatives such as a doc-in-the-box or free clinic but in the absence of insurance even these can get pricy. For those out there who weren’t in the mood to wait out that stabbing pain on the right side of your lower abdomen or didn’t have enough chewing gum in the house to fashion your own cast when you broke your ankle don’t be afraid to reach out and ask someone for some assistance.

Find someone to contact because aside from becoming Canadian citizens and signing up for their free health insurance it looks like our only other option is to sit tight and wait for Congress to come to our rescue with a bill forcing employers to cover their employees (better not hold our breath on that one). For more information on who you may contact, just follow the link and I wish you all the health (and hand sanitizer) in the world.

Katie Spencer is a contributing writer for a number of international financial journals both online and in print. Katie has been delivering financial education to the public in a variety of areas to include budgeting, credit and debt management, and money saving tips. Recently, Katie has been in partnership with a national educational foundation to deliver financial advice to American consumers via the web.

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Are you prepared for retirement and old age? While it may still be a long way off and there are usually a lot more urgent things to take care of, dealing with some of the requirements of old age, either for yourself or for someone you care about, a huge difference can be made by a few simple steps.

While saving for a pension and having good medical insurance are two of the most common steps, there is also the scope for long term care insurance, which may also be of great potential use in certain situations. This type of insurance covers the need for assistance in old age. Old age, as well as mental and physical illness can lead to many people needing assistance with such everyday tasks as eating, bathing and dressing. Simply looking after you can be too much for many people and when they are faced with this situation, assisted living and long term care can be an option.

Long-term care insurance can step in to help pay for the costs of such care. Do you think you may need such care? Will you be able to afford it if you do? Long-term care can last for many years and it is very expensive. Without the proper insurance, many people simply could not afford it. You may be planning to rely on Medicare or your own private health insurance policy. However, Medicare does not pay for custodial treatment of this kind. It is simply too expensive and you will therefore have to seek alternative living arrangements. Even private medical insurance will not foot the bill for long-term care.

If you think you will be very short of money by the time you need long term care you may qualify for Medicaid. Medicaid steps in to pay for medical care for the very poor. The good thing about Medicaid is that it will pay for long-term care. It is difficult to qualify for it though. You must be in the right wealth level and this is difficult to guarantee. The provisions of Medicaid are also liable to change so there’s no guarantee that just because long term care is provided for now, that it will be in the future. If you are in serious doubt as to your ability to qualify for Medicaid, then it is unwise to rely on it.

Long term care can make a huge difference to your quality of life and well being in old age so if you think it is something you would like to make use of, the sooner you look into insurance for it, the better.

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Group Medical Insurance is a type of health insurance that is purchased by employers as a benefit to their employees. The group policy is a master policy that covers all of the employees and describes the benefits and features of the health insurance plan. This can be a very expensive portion of employers overhead. Health benefits help maintain employee stability and morale. The employer shopping for group insurance today must be wary of the market place. It has changed. There are a lot more insurance scams. It is better to stay with reputable companies.

The small business community has to be more creative with their group health package. There is a growing demand for small businesses to employ the services of a professional benefit counselor to develop alternatives when purchasing or revising their health plans.

The insurance companies are well aware of the problem and have been hard at work developing new versions of Group health insurance plans. The insurance companies are using every avenue available to keep their business clients. Group policies have many more deductible options than in years past. There is a strong move toward encouraging the employees to enroll in Health Savings Accounts. These accounts help the employee to off-set the higher deductible expense. There is also a trend with Group Health carriers to partner with supplemental health insurance companies. The supplemental health insurance companies can help fill the gaps that the group health plan no longer provides.

Things to consider

1. Tax advantages of HSA – The health savings account is becoming a favorite option for employers and employees.

2. Higher Deductibles – this is more than a trend now. The higher the deductible-the lower the premium.

3. Supplemental Insurance – using supplemental insurance companies to fill in the gaps at a lower cost to the employer and employee.

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Try to imagine the new medical insurance plan from a detached position.

There is an excellent opportunity for seniors sharp enough to see it, and it is available to anyone willing to do a little math. The savings presented in Medicare part d are a little deceiving because at first glance it looks like 75%, when in fact that is only a portion of the overall savings in the formula. Here is a simple way to calculate how to take advantage of the new government medical insurance IF EXPENSES ARE OVER $2250 PER YEAR.

Four things need to be considered.

Start with annual prescription expenses. Figure out how much would be spent on prescriptions if there was no insurance at all. The full retail amount is important for this calculation.

Calculate which month of the year full retail costs reach the “Magic Mark” of $2250. This will expose when the medical insurance stops and full retail costs apply.

For plan costs, add up how much will be spent on the annual deductible and monthly premiums. (in the chosen medical insurance plan) Add $500 to this amount for the 25% not covered by Medicare part d.

Now add the full retail amount that will be spent for the remainder of the year to find the real expenses. Subtract savings ($1500) from expenses to calculate the real percentage of savings. Understand that 75% savings is impossible to reach.

Here’s How To Maximize Savings if Prescription Expenses Are More Than $2250

The “Magic Mark” for maximum savings is $2250 in medicare part d. USE IT! Once prescription costs go beyond that magic mark, the percentage of savings sinks like a rock. To avoid that problem and to take advantage of every angle, use another discount source for prescriptions.

Canadian medications are typically 30% - 40% less expensive, and using a Canadian Pharmacy to balance expenses is like an additional medical insurance policy. The recommendation is to buy enough prescriptions from Canada every three months to target the “Magic Mark” of $2250 with the government medical insurance. By spending exactly $2250 per year (Retail) through medicare part d and buying the balance of medications from Canada, the savings will work out as follows.

Approximately 50% - 60% savings will be had through the government medical insurance plan, and about 30% - 40% savings on the portion purchased from Canada. If there are some medications that can be bought from Canada to help target the “Magic Mark” of $2250 then figure out which Canadian Prescriptions offer the greatest savings and buy those medications from Canada throughout the year. Keep in mind some medications will not be covered under Medicare part d and those ones would be ideal to get from Canada.

One More Consideration

If expenses are beyond $5100 there can still be a significant savings by using this method. It depends on how much would be spent at full retail in the year and how far expenses go into the catastrophic end. Use a Canadian Pharmacy to supplement the Government Medical Insurance and avoid the dreaded un-insured portion… the “Doughnut Hole”

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Do you have medical coverage for yourself and your family? Are you middle income and do not have medical coverage? What are your options? Read on.

I am furious with this wonderful country we live in the United States of America which it seems has turned its back on the very people who support it.

I had wonderful medical care through my husband’s employment for many years and just took it for granted. I worked most of my adult life now I am divorced and unemployed and do not have any medical care.

Join with me in exploring what options are available for an ordinary person who is a member of the middle class. What happens when this ordinary person needs medical care?

I thought like everybody else that everybody in this country was entitled to medical care but that is not what is happening.

WHY IS MEDICAL CARE FOR EVERYBODY NOT HAPPENING?

HIGH INCOME PEOPLE:

If you have the money you can purchase medical insurance for yourself and your family. It can become a problem if there is a pre-existing condition of one or more of your family members. Maybe, all they have to do is pay higher premiums and that problem is solved or not.

Employment is the way most people obtain medical insurance for themselves and for their families. Today employers in some cases expect their employees to pay a portion of the escalating monthly premiums.

Many employees choose not to be covered simply because they can not afford the escalating monthly insurance premiums. If an employee had to choose between food for their families and monthly escalating premiums food wins hands down.

So what good is the medical coverage if the employee cannot afford it?

Now what do they do for medical care?

What about the thousands of employed people who do not have medical insurance options. These people fall under the category of part time employee or their employer can not afford medical coverage.

What about the employers that feel their employees should be covered under their spouse’s employment?

But what if you don not have a spouse or your spouse does not have medical coverage? Now what are your options?

LOW INCOME FAMILIES:

(1) MEDI-CAL

There are tight restrictions on Medi-cal. It is dictated by income, bank account and diagnosis.

(2) COUNTY MEDICAL SERVICES (CMS)

There are also tight restrictions on this plan. It is dictated by income, bank account and diagnosis. CMS is also difficult to obtain.

MIDDLE CLASS:

For the middle class just barely hanging on by their fingertips NOTHING, a big fat ZERO, unless you have medical coverage through your employment or through your spouse.

(3) FREE CLINICS ON A SLIDING SCALE:

There are a few free county clinics that work on a sliding scale by income. $35.00 is the highest amount you can pay. If your need is greater than a fast trip to the doctor for a prescription, you will have to pay for that additional care.

I recently visited one of these clinics. The doctor told me I needed a program of Physical Therapy and I would have to pay for it. I am not employed. Physical Therapy is very expensive and I was out of luck. But the bottom line is I needed the physical therapy so I would once again be employed.

I was given a prescription and had it filled at Sam’s Club. I was told it was the most reasonable place to purchase prescription medication when you do not have medical insurance. I did not need a membership for a pharmacy visit.

4) HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS:

Thousands of people now flock to the hospital emergency rooms for everyday medical care. They wait long hours clogging the flow of real trauma cases. It is not unusual for some people to give bogus personal information; therefore, they will never receive a bill. The hospital does require every patient show a form of identification for your file.

What about the people that are honest with there personal information? They can receive a huge bill and if x-rays and lab were obtained at the time of the visit –look out.

What if you require emergency surgery or need to be admitted to the hospital. Your medical bill can become an astronomical amount. If you can’t afford to pay this bill you will go to a collection agency and maybe lose your home or business.

211 TELEPHONE NUMBER:

If you have any questions about any of the information listed above call 211. It is a wonderful new information line for just this information. The phones are manned by volunteers.

WEEKLY POPULAR TELEVISION SHOWS:

Have you noticed that many popular weekly television shows are now creating shows about medical insurance issues? I just watched Desperate Housewives for the very first time.

The story line was one of the housewives was divorced and she did not have any medical coverage. She needed surgery to save her life.

The plot was she marries somebody immediately and that could provide insurance coverage and then later get divorced.

What do you think about that? What is this country coming to?

It is making honest people lie, cheat and commit fraud so they can obtain the medical coverage they so richly deserve.

WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP?

We start by educating the public about this enormous problem and what it involves. A little bit of knowledge is very powerful.

Then we start at the local, state and then onto the federal government level.

WE NEED CHANGE NOW! IF THE SYSTEM IN PLACE NOW DOESN’T WORK CHANGE IT! MEDICAL CARE FOR EVERYBODY - NOT JUST A FEW.

We could all move to Canada. They have free health care for everybody but what about the good old USA? The system in place right now is a joke.

I wonder what kind of medical coverage the president of the United States and his family have, plus all the other government officials? Aren’t we entitled to the same?

One thing I can do as an individual to fight back is to write articles and to blog. I have already written several articles on varies aspects of medical insurance problems, maybe someday somebody will stand up and take notice.

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