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Posts Tagged ‘texas health insurance’

To many people go without health insurance not understanding how important it is. It is just not worth the risk. You risk financial instability, you risk your health and sad but true you risk the type of treatment you may receive.

Consumers have many excuses for avoiding health insurance. Some think they can not afford it, others just think they are so healthy they would never use it. They just can not see throwing money out the window. All you need to expel the myths and find adequate insurance for your need is a few basics.

The State of Texas has HIPPA plans available for those that have been told they can not obtain health insurance due to a pre existing condition. It is called the Texas health risk pool and is underwritten by BCBS of Texas.

State of Texas also has plans geared for low income families to keep children covered called CHIP or Texas Childrens Health Insurance plan . They have the government funded Medicaid plan also for those with very low incomes. These are just a few options.

Individual insurance is a good option and allows the freedom of choice. However, if your employer offers insurance or Cobra these are very sensible choices as well. There are multiple choices you see.

If you decide on individual health insurance there are many plans to pick. Anything from the bare minimum to the works. It is your choice. you only buy what you need or desire. Or all you can afford at best.

A managed care health plan works as a network. It is a group of medical personnel and facilities that have a contract with this particular plan. They all work together to offer medical services to those that are members. For the most part, this plan has requirements that members use the medical personnel and facilities within the plan’s network. In a nutshell, using this plan is limited as far as providers, but benefits you on the cost. Health care insurance in Texas uses this overall plan.

The appeal of managed health care plans lies in the fact that they have lower premiums than other types of health insurance in Texas. This is largely due to the rates and fees charged for medical services agreed upon by the doctors and hospitals. They are chosen because they are willing to reduce their rates to work with the insurer. Expensive diagnostic testing and certain medical procedures are kept to a minimum or avoided entirely. In addition, managed care health plans offer wellness programs such as smoking cessation, so patients will stay healthier and require fewer visits to doctors and hospitals.

Managed care providers offer three different categories of health insurance in Texas:

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) – With this plan, you can use doctors and other medical services that are within this network. It works the same way with health care insurance in Texas. An HMO has a primary care physician that you can select from the network. Members pay a set fee each time they visit the doctor.

The City of San Francisco has filed a lawsuit with the State over a law on the books that allows health insurance providers to charge women a higher rate than men for the same coverage. Women may pay as much as 39% more, and they are none too happy about it. Insurance companies claim that the practice is legitimate because women in their child bearing years require more health care than men of the same ages.

The practice, which is known as ‘gender rating’ is actually widely practiced across the country. Currently 38 states allow it, and two more allow it with some restrictions. The California insurance commissioner’s office stated that until the legislature votes to change the law, they are legally bound to follow it as it currently stands.

Some women’s health advocates remind that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission forbids all employers from charging higher premiums to women when the charge is solely based on gender. The same sex discrimination rules that apply in the workplace should apply when women are searching for individual insurance coverage.

Dennis Herrera, San Francisco City Attorney stated that the unfair and inflated premiums imposed on women price them out of the health care market and they can’t afford health insurance. This is causing them to get their health care from city clinics and San Francisco General Hospital, causing an additional financial burden on the City.