Health Insurance

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Health Insurance

Because of the extremely high costs of medical care, health insurance is an absolute must. Most people who have medical insurance acquire it through their employers. There are 3 varieties of medical insurance:

  • Indemnity plans. You either pay a deductible after which the insurance company will pick up the tab, or you agree to pay a portion (e.g., 10%) of all medical bills up to a certain amount. These plans offer the most choices and can be purchased individually or by a company as a group benefit.
  • Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs). These are networks of medical personnel and facilities that provide medical care on a prepaid basis. The 2 most common types are:
    • Group practice model: Hires or contracts with physicians to provide medical services in a central facility.
    • Individual practice association: Contracts with individual physicians to provide medical services in their own offices.
  • Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs). Contracts a network of doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers who agree to treat members at special negotiated rates.

Health Insurance Tools

Body Mass Index Calculator – Are you fit or fat? Your height-to-weight ratio can provide clues about your overall health.

Health Plan Analyzer – Compare two health plans at a time to help find the plan that best suits your needs.

Healtheon / WebMD Advanced Medical Databases – This directory of advanced medical databases can help you search for answers to your health questions.