Nsurance Info
Anyone Wants Health Insurance?
Health insurance is important to every individual because
one never knows when he will need it. Due to the advances
in modern medicine, medical diagnostic and treatment
procedures are now a lot more expensive than before. Not
everyone can afford the full cost of medical treatment
which could easily add up to thousands of dollars.
The tremendous increase of health insurance prices in
recent years has been attributed to various health-related
factors such as lack of regular exercise, unhealthy food
choices, exodus of doctors away from poor areas and rural
areas, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, the
popularity of drug addiction, increased body fat leading
to obesity and the sedentary life led by most individuals
nowadays.
Health insurance coverage originated in 1694 by Hugh the
Elder Chamberlen, who first thought of the concept of
health insurance. In the late 19th century, health
insurance was called disability insurance because health
insurance was limited only to medical costs of such
injuries that would potentially lead to disability.
Health insurance is a program in which the insurer pays
the medical costs of the insured should the insured become
afflicted with sickness due to diseases or accidents
covered by the insured's plan. There are private
organizations and government agencies who offer health
insurance.
Health insurance is classified into private or
non-government coverage or government-sponsored. A private
health insurance is purchased from a private health
insurance company and it is further classified into
employment-based health insurance, which if offered
through one's employment. "Direct-purchase" is plan where
the individual purchases the health insurance himself from
a private company.
Private health insurance is controversial because the
insurance company needs to remain solvent while the
insured should remain in good health.
When the health insurance includes plans funded by the
government, it is called government health insurance and
it may be on a federal, state, or local level. This health
insurance includes Medicare, Medicaid, military health
care plans, state plans, and the State Children's Health
Insurance Program (SCHIP).
Medicare is a government health insurance which pays
health care costs for those 65 years old and above.
Medicaid is a government health insurance coverage which
helps families with dependent children, those who are
disabled, blind people and the others who have
disabilities and need health insurance. These two health
insurance coverage programs complicate the current United
States health insurance crisis because they
unintentionally determine the price of medical diagnostic
and treatment procedures.
The State Children's Health Insurance Program provide
health insurance to children who are part of low-income
parents not qualified for Medicaid while military health
care is health insurance provided by civilians and the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Health insurance
provided by some states for low-income constituents who
have no insurance is called state-specific plan.
Individuals who wish to buy health insurance should first
fill out a comprehensive medical history form that
includes the history of smoking, the person's weight, the
individual's past diseases and hospitalizations. This is
used because individuals with pre-existing medical
conditions are not eligible to that health insurance.
Discounts may be given to applicants who are proven to be
healthy, and who have no vices like smoking and drinking
alcohol regularly.
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