| Years ago choosing a health insurance plan | | | | through a group policy. The policy can be |
| was not a big trouble. Of course there were | | | | offered by your employer or through the job |
| less health insurance plans to choose from | | | | of a member of your family. |
| but also people were able to go to almost any | | | | |
| doctor and hospital to receive medical care. | | | | If your company doesn't offer group policies |
| | | | or if you are self-employed, you can get an |
| Today things are a bit more complicated not | | | | individual health insurance policy. Another |
| only because there is a wide choice of | | | | option is to check if your professional |
| different insurance schemes, but because of | | | | organization is offering group policies. Keep |
| the restrictions each one hides. Moreover | | | | in mind that individual health insurance |
| almost all of the health insurance plans | | | | policies are likely to cost more than the |
| available have some managed care policy that | | | | group insurance policies. |
| means that it is not possible to use any | | | | |
| doctor, any hospital and even a medical | | | | Old people can apply for a federal insurance |
| service of certain costs. | | | | program called Medicare. A choice between a |
| | | | fee-for-service and managed care plan is |
| For the average American picking up the right | | | | available. Low-income people can also benefit |
| health insurance plan is a bit complicated | | | | from a federal health insurance program |
| especially if he doesn't know much about the | | | | called Medicaid. It is very popular among |
| plans available. In general there are several | | | | children and pregnant women and offers |
| insurance schemes Indemnity plan (also called | | | | managed care health insurance plans. |
| fee-for-service plan), managed care, Health | | | | |
| Maintenance Organization (HMO), | | | | The best way to compare health insurance |
| Point-of-Service plan (POS). each one of | | | | plans is to ask yourself some questions that |
| these has it advantages and disadvantages so | | | | will show you the right way. What services |
| it is best to read about them and see which | | | | are offered by each plan? What will be the |
| conditions are best for you and your family. | | | | chose of doctors, hospitals and other medical |
| | | | care institutions? Where you will have to go |
| The next question that might bother you is | | | | to receive care? What are the costs? Once you |
| where you can get one of these plans. The | | | | have the answers of these basic questions the |
| first resource is the group policies. Usually | | | | right health insurance plan will become |
| you can get a managed care or indemnity plan | | | | obvious. |