California Health Insurance
Each year, medical insurance seems to become more complicated. Premiums change, and coverage constantly readjusts despite the best efforts of lawmakers to provide stability. Unfortunately, the ones who seem to suffer the most from the ever-changing landscape of health insurance are not the doctors or insurance companies but rather the patients who need the insurance the most. However, to be fully prepared in life, carrying the proper amount of health insurance can be the difference between peace of mind and potential financial devastation.Many health insurance companies can provide coverage in California. You can receive an online quote within a few minutes after asking some basic questions. Then you can compare quotes from each company to ensure you are choosing the right policy. However, before comparing quotes, you should understand some basic principles regarding health insurance in California.
Managed care options: HMO, PPO, or EPO
Once you have chosen the right health insurance policy for your needs, you then have to choose a specific type of managed care. For example, an HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) allows patients to enjoy lower co-pays and deductibles, but forces them to choose from a limited list of approved physicians established in a network. In this case, the primary care giver must approve all referrals.
However, for those patients who wish to have more options, there is the PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) option. This system allows patients to choose from a much larger list of health care providers and enables them to secure referrals without permission from their primary care giver. However, with this method, there are higher costs and limited benefits if you choose a health care provider outside of the defined network.
Finally, there is the EPO (Exclusive Provider Organization). This system, much like the PPO, allows patients to have more options when choosing their care providers. However, with this system, if you choose a health care provider that operates outside of your network, you will not receive any of your benefits.
All three of these insurance policies require patients to choose a deductible amount. The deductible refers to the amount a patient must pay out of pocket before the insurance company covers any additional costs. Usually, when your deductible is higher, your monthly payments are lower.
Healthy families program
The state of California, in an effort to provide health care insurance for in need children, created a program called Healthy Families. Visit the website at http://www.healthyfamilies.ca.gov/hfhome.aspfor more information. This program provides much needed insurance for children who fall within the following Healthy Family guidelines:
- Children residing in California
- Children up to their 19th birthday
- Children without employer-sponsored health insurance in the last three months
- Children who fall within immigration and citizenship laws
- Children that are not eligible for or enrolled in no-cost Medi-Cal
- Children whose families incomes fall within the Healthy Families guidelines
- Children of mothers that are enrolled in the Access for Infants and Mothers (AIM) program, whom are not enrolled in the no-cost full scope of the Medi-Cal program or employer-sponsored health insurance
COBRA insurance
In 1986, Congress passed the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act or COBRA. This landmark decision enables millions of Americans to maintain health insurance in case of the loss of employment, with the exception of termination due to gross misconduct, or the reduction of hours, which would affect health insurance coverage. COBRA coverage extends to the dependents of these workers as well.
If you were previously covered under an insurance policy that included two through nineteen people, you are covered under Cal-COBRA. If your group plan included twenty or more employees, you are covered under traditional COBRA coverage. While typical COBRA benefits can last up to 18 months, some exceptions may result in extended coverage for 36 months. Visit http://www.cobrainsurance.com/for more details regarding eligibility and coverage.