Healthcare reform helps the consumers in Florida to buy health insurance. Below is some important information about health insurance in Florida and how consumers can be benefited through these changes:
1. Healthcare reforms make sure that small businesses in Florida will be offered tax credits for offering health insurance to their employees. With this, it is expected that around 290,000 small businesses in Florida will be benefited
2. Consumers in Florida will not be imposed with lifetime limits on the coverage they are offered by health insurance companies. This is huge benefit for the consumers.
3. Insurance companies in Florida will not be allowed to drop consumers from coverage because they got sick. This is one of most useful change that the healthcare reforms bring to the consumers in Florida.
4. The children in Florida will not be excluded from coverage based on pre-existing medical conditions.
5. Children in Florida will be able to stay in their family health insurance as dependents until the age of 26. There is no need to buy a separate health insurance plan.
6. Florida's community health centers will be strengthened by increased funding, thereby providing better healthcare services to the patients. Consumers will have access to low cost health insurance options.
Before purchasing a health insurance policy, consider the following tips:
Use a plan with a higher deductible - The chance that you will meet your deductible is slim. If you can save $800 a year on health insurance by increasing your deductible by $1,000, you have made a wise decision. After 15 months on the plan, you have already made back the $1,000. Always ask how much the next highest deductible is and do the math.
Physician co-pays sound great. But they cost you a lot of money each month to have them and don't save you as much as you think. If you stay within the PPO network, you are entitled to the discounted rate for office visits. A physician visit might be $50 to $60. Eliminating the office co-pay feature could save you $500 to $800 a year. You would need to have 20 to 30 office visits a year to make the co-pay feature worthwhile. It sounds better than it is. You will soon realize that paying for the privilege of seeing the doctor for $35 is no big deal.
Use a plan with a prescription deductible - Florida health insurance carriers are going to really soak you for brand name prescription coverage. Most generics are fairly inexpensive and by having a deductible for brand name or non-generic prescriptions, you will save a lot of money on premiums. Most plans have a co-pay for generics and impose a calendar year deductible for brand name drugs. Additionally, several pharmacies and box stores with pharmacies offer a discount card. If you rarely use prescription medication, perhaps this is the better choice for you.
Good health,
Trisha M. Pacenti RN,BSN
http://www.nurseinsagent.com/
