Posted by Tom Carolan on Fri, Feb 26, 2010 @ 04:35 PM
Before you are totally decided on a
health insurance provider a good measure to take is to ensure that you have adequate outpatient service provider coverage. If you already have a
health insurance coverage plan you should check with your current HMO, PPO, or health care provider to determine what level of service you do or do not have.
Equally as important is finding a quality outpatient service provider in your area well before having a medical procedure done so that you know the care you are provided with will be top notch. You can always ask friends and family how their personal experiences with their outpatient service provider was and your doctor is also an excellent reference point. But before you claim an outpatient service provider as your own you should ask yourself and the facilities themselves the following questions:
- Do they accept your HOM, PPO, or current health care plan?
- Is there more than one facility in your area that can service your needs?
- Will your health insurance cover all expected costs?
- Is the facility located at a reasonable distance from your home?
- Will they communicate well with your doctor and let your doctor verify tests and test results that are conducted?
- Is the outpatient facility accredited by a national medical board or other accredited agency?
- What is the staff like, how experienced are they, and how long has the facility itself been in operation?
- Will you be able to be fully treated at the facility or be forced to go elsewhere for follow up care?
- How obliging is the facility when it comes to helping with financial assistance if needed?
- Will they give you clear instructions before, during, and after any procedures?
- How well equipped is the facility to be able to handle any special needs that you may have during and after a procedure?
- Does your doctor approve of the facility?
- What is the facility's reputation around the community?
Additionally, you should always visit the facility in person before you have any procedures done. This will give you the opportunity to see firsthand how clean the facility is and how friendly a knowledgeable the staff seems. You can also ascertain whether or not there are some of the little things that you might like to see in an outpatient service provider such as a waiting room for your family that is going to be comfortable for them.
Only by asking questions, and lot of them, will you be able to determine if in fact you are going to get the best possible out patience service for your particular needs. While talking with friends, family, and your doctor are a great place to start, you should never take anybody's word for it and always plan a trip to the facilities in advance with a list of questions in hand.
Posted by Tom Carolan on Tue, Dec 01, 2009 @ 03:02 PM
Millions of unemployed U.S. workers will see a spike in their
health insurance premiums and loss of coverage as the temporary federal subsidies expire.
With the U.S. unemployment rate topping 10 percent, many groups are urging Congress to extend a measure that helps laid-off workers maintain employer-sponsored health coverage with a 65 percent subsidy on their insurance premiums.
A report released on today said without the subsidy, insurance premiums would consume a significant portion of monthly unemployment benefits and in nine states exceed the average jobless benefit.
The subsidies began in March as part of the $787 billion economic stimulus and the nine months of benefits for the first group of recipients expired on Monday. The program runs through December and anyone laid-off before the end of the month remains eligible for nine months of subsidies.
Some Democrats are considering extending the program as part of new legislation they hope to pass before the end of the year to address unemployment. The issue will also likely be discussed at the White House's jobs summit on Thursday.
But Republicans worried about record federal budget deficits are expected to oppose extending the program.
If Congress fails to act, anyone losing a job in January and subsequently would receive no federal subsidies to maintain employer-sponsored health coverage through what has become known as the COBRA program.
Under that long-standing law, workers who lose their jobs can keep their employer-sponsored health plans for up to 18 months although they must pay the full premium. For many laid-off workers, the $1,111 average family monthly health insurance premium is out of reach.
When workers lose their jobs, they often lose their health coverage as well. For millions of laid-off workers and their families, the federal COBRA subsidies have been a health-coverage lifeline.
The report said that average monthly family COBRA premiums vary range from $979 in Idaho and $989 in Iowa to $1,246 in Massachusetts and $1,232 in Minnesota.