Why, How and From to Buy Medical Insurance?

To buy medical insurance can be a complicated task by itself. Add to that the different rules in different states and the constant pressure of compulsorily buying a plan before 2014 and you have a really daunting chore in your hands ahead.

The insurance rules change with the borders, but what remains constant is why, how and from whom you buying your health plan from. The answer to the why is simple. You need to buy health insurance because the cost of healthcare services is one of the costliest in the world. You need to buy medical plans because it will prevent you from medical bankruptcy if you or your family falls sick. And lastly, but a reason equally important nonetheless is that you need to buy medical insurance because soon enough it will become mandatory to do so.

Now comes the question of ‘how’. How to buy a health is perhaps one of the most searched phrases on the internet. How does one buy an insurance plan without getting lost in the confusions of the jargons, riders and clauses is the most important concern of the beneficiary? It is important that the buyer knows exactly what plan he is buying and the healthcare services that are included and excluded in the policy.

Generally, applicants have to undergo a medical test before their policy is approved. A pre-existing medical condition can lead to either your application being rejected or your premium getting hiked. There are various states like New Jersey and Vermont where insurance companies cannot deny coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions. This is known as the ‘guaranteed issue’ law. However there is no regulation on the premium that these companies can charge for those with medical conditions.

When buying a medical plan, it is important to go for a ‘non-cancellable and ‘guaranteed renewable’ policy. It simply means that the insurance company cannot cancel the policy as long as you keep paying the premiums regularly. Also it is important to buy a medical plan that has some kind of rescission period during which you can study the terms of the plan, make sure it is suitable and then reject it if it does not suit your needs.

The ‘how’ of buying health plan is heavily dependant on the ‘from whom’ aspect of the medical plan. Before you zero in on any policy, it is important that you have done an elaborate quote comparison and you are purchasing a plan that is the cheapest under the given circumstances.

It is also important to closely scrutinise the medical plan that you are planning to purchase. It should meet all your present and anticipated medical needs and yet should not be a financial burden. With an increasingly competitive market, insurance companies are trying too woo residents by providing the maximum benefits in a given price bracket and if you have not done your market research properly, you could be at the losing end.

Buying a health plan is not as complicated as it made out to be once you understand the why, how and from whom part of it.