Archive for November, 2011

Florida Health Insurance For New Residents

November 18th, 2011

In spite of a hurricane every now and then, more people are moving to the state of Florida than to any other destination. They are coming in droves from the colder northern states to embrace the perpetually mild weather.

There is even a large influx from Europe and Asia to Florida, especially with the anemic US dollar.

While everyone can go to the beach at Christmas and find affordable housing, not everyone is going to qualify for health insurance.

In Florida as in most states, health insurance is medically underwritten. This means that you have to medically qualify to obtain a policy. Furthermore, if you are 65 years of age or older, there are no carriers that will write a Florida health insurance policy. This will no doubt affect anyone looking to retire in Florida from outside the United States.

Florida does not have a state pool for uninsurable residents. If you meet the income guidelines, you can apply for Medicaid.

Will I Qualify for a Florida Health Insurance Plan?

Medical underwriting does not mean that you must be in perfect health. It does mean the following:

  1. You have seen a physician in the last two years in the United States
  2. If you have been prescribed a medication for a condition, you take that prescription as prescribed and your condition is controlled (i.e., high blood pressure).
  3. Any tests that have been ordered by a physician have been completed
  4. There are no recommendations for surgery in your medical record
  5. You are not morbidly obese
  6. Preferably, you do not take more than three prescriptions on a daily basis

The above list is by no means exhaustive, but it will give you some general guidelines. The only way to determine if you qualify is to talk with an agent who is well versed in the underwriting guidelines. » Read more: Florida Health Insurance For New Residents

Free Affordable Florida Health Insurance Quote Online

November 18th, 2011

Free Affordable Florida Health Insurance Quote Online

Affordable health insurance is becoming harder and harder to find, but if you are willing to do your homework and comparison-shop you should be able to find something that meets your needs. Getting quotes that compare the different types of insurance is easy when you use an online health insurance website. An insurance quote website will quickly sort through the various companies and policies to give you the lowest quotes possible.

Florida health insurance plans

Before you get quotes on health insurance make sure you know what you are looking for, because there are different types of health care policies

  • A Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) is a group of health care providers who agree to provide care for patients at a flat rate for a period of time. The provider becomes the gatekeeper in keeping costs down and under the flat rate, so that the provider can get a profit while still providing good care. And you the patient get the benefits of a lower premium. HMOs are typically good for health promotion and disease prevention, so if you are a young person or a young family, this may be a good option for you. Often baby checks or yearly physicals are at little or no cost to you. You have little flexibility to see other providers unless your primary provider makes a referral, but these plans can be the least expensive.
  • A Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) is a group of health care providers that contract with the insurance company to provide care at a specific reduced fee. The provider gets the benefit of having a captive patient load, and the patient gets the benefit of lower health care costs. If you need to see a provider who is not in the PPO network, then the cost to you is generally higher. These types of policies have a little more flexibility and will usually cost a little more.
  • A Point of Service (POS) policy assigns you a primary care provider that you can see at a lower cost, and allows you the flexibility to see someone outside the network at a higher price, usually 20% of the bill. These types of policies generally cost more than either an HMO or a PPO. Once you have considered all the various options available in health insurance, do some comparison-shopping. An on-line heath insurance website can provide you with several free quotes to consider. You can find a policy that is a balance of what you want and what you can afford. » Read more: Free Affordable Florida Health Insurance Quote Online

Florida Health Insurance Online Quote – Instant Online Quotes

November 18th, 2011

Looking for instant Florida health insurance quotes? At the end of this article, there’s a link that will take you to them. All you have to do is answer a few basic questions, and you’ll get immediate quotes for health insurance plans in Florida.

Florida Health Insurance Plans

Here are 3 tips for saving money on health insurance:

1. Choose a higher deductible – If you can save $1000 per year on your health insurance premium by raising your deductible by $1500, then do it. After 18 months on the plan, you have made back the $1500. (HDHP) High Deductible Health Plans are available from $500 all the way up to $10,000.

2. Stay in a network – Going out of network for a doctor or hospital can be very expensive. Check the plans you’re interested in for networks of doctors, hospitals, and clinics in your area.

3. HSAs – Health Savings Accounts. By taking a high deductible health plan and combining it with an (HSA) Health Savings Account, you can get health insurance that covers you and your family at the lowest total cost. And, an (HSA) will save you money at tax time too.

Florida Free Instant Health Insurance Quotes

One of the best ways to learn more about Florida health insurance is to go to an insurance quote website and request free quotes. Immediately after you complete their short form, you’ll get several low cost HSA, HMO, PPO, and POS quotes while still online. After you have your quotes, you can compare plans and visit their websites for more detailed information.