Three Ways To Lower Your Health Insurance Premiums
Health insurance is an important part of staying healthy. People who have coverage are more inclined to visit a physician for wellness checkups which allow potential problems to be identified at an early date before they become major.
The amount you pay for health insurance each month is called the premium. the higher the deductible, and the fewer benefits the policy includes the lower the monthly cost will be. Benefit rich health plans with more benefits of course are more expensive.
Healthy Choices equals a Healthy Life
Leading a healthy lifestyle helps control your healthcare costs in two ways. First, many insurance companies offer lower premiums to people who lead healthy lives. Second, living healthy will improve your overall wellbeing and mean fewer visits to the doctor.
Three simple steps to living healthy are:
Eat well. Have a balanced diet. Eat plenty of fruits of vegetables. Enjoy sweets and fatty foods in moderation. Some insurance companies will deny coverage to applicants who are too overweight. Try to eat five smaller meals a day at regular intervals rather than cramming all your calories into your body during the late evening. Try to prepare snacks and meals in advance so there is always something healthy to munch on rather than resorting to trip to the fast food restaurant or the candy machine.
Don't Smoke. Smokers are TWICE as likely to have a heart attack, and have a higher risk of respiratory diseases, strokes, and cancer. For these reasons, health insurance companies typically charge smokers higher premiums. But some companies will reverse the higher charges if you can prove you have been smoke-free for over a year. In Illinois smokers, and their families pay up to 40% more for their health insurance.
Exercise. Staying active and physically fit keeps your heart and lungs healthy. It is also a great way to manage your weight. Exercise can be as simple as taking a one hour walk each day. In Europe it is very common to see families out for a walk through the neighborhood during the early evening hours after a light dinner.
A Higher Deductible Means A Lower Premium
Your health plan's deductible is the amount you are expected to pay toward doctor, hospital, and other medical bills. Typically, plans with higher deductibles have lower premiums.
A high deductible is considered to be anything more than $2000 for an individual. That may seem like a lot of money, but you won't always be paying out toward the deductible when you use your health insurance. Many plans cover basic care trips to the doctor and some prescription drug coverage, without requiring you to make payments toward the deductible.
Before you enroll in a high deductible health insurance plan, make sure you consider your risks. If you are generally healthy, a high deductible plan may be a good choice. You can keep your premiums low and have access to basic care. But if you get seriously ill or injured, you will have to cover the deductible.
If you have a history of illness or a greater chance of injury, a high deductible plan may not be a good idea. You should think about the risks of your lifestyle and your medical history, and decide if having a lower deductible will be better for you.
Young families are more inclined to go with lower deductible plans with copayments and strong ER benefits because they tend to use those services more.
Shop Around For The Best Price with Medequote
Because our health insurance system is an open market, you can shop around to find the best deals. Medequote is an independent insurance agency and we represent several health insurance companies. We can help you decide on the kind of plan you need, and then find you that plan at an affordable rate. The companies we represent are all "A" rated and have a history of excellent customer service. Everything is rated by where you live, or rather the zip code of where you live, so if you live in Chicago one company may be more competitive that the other for the same level of benefits even though it could be the opposite downstate in Springfield. Health insurers avoid certain geographic areas by having higher rates so they can concentrate their marketing in areas where they feel they will be more profitable. That is why you need to compare plans, and benefits because it isn't the same everywhere.
I live in Chicago a couple of blocks away from Evanston. Those two blocks make a big difference as far as health rates are concerned and can vary as much as 20%! People living in Evanston pay less believe it or not! So a plan I might reccomend to someone in Chicago just might not be the right fit for another family in a neighboring city.
Medequote can match you with the right plan for your geographic area.We offer five to six companies who are competing with each other for your buisness, all are "A" rated, but that means little in the big scheme of things, what you are trying to do is identify the best plan in your zip code for the best price. Our service allows you to compare plans, and choose the one that matches your needs and your budget.
With these simple tips, you can keep your health insurance costs reasonable. Give us a call at 800-391-7469 if we can assist you, or answer any questions.
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