Health Insurance is changing. You are seeing a few companies introducing new aged plans that promote health and healp the consumer control cost and save tons. The consumer is tired of paying hundreds for benefits they may never need to use.



One example is a plan through the carrier UniCare. They have a fairly new plan they introduced called the Solaura HIA, or Health Incentive Account. It is fashioned much like a Health Savings account. Instead of contributing money to fund the account you earn money by improving and promoting good health.

With the Solaura plan you are automatically awarded quarterly allotments to help meet the deductible. Individuals get $125 a quarter and a family $250. Unused money rolls over year to year and there is no limit.

Have you thought about taking control of your weight? How about throwing out the tobacco? Will they have programs that can earn you dollars in your account if you complete. And you earn your first $50 just for logging on to do an online assessment.

Preventative Screenings are covered at 100% in this plan. Yes 100% for the office visit, most nationally recognized screenings and many, many immunizations. The idea is an annual screenings heads off any real problems before they even start.

Many new plans are promoting similar benefits. They are focusing on early detection as a way of controlling and saving medical expense. Some offer fun incentives to change a bad habit and most of them are covering 100% of your annual preventative.

A good way for the consumer to cut cost in this bleak economy is to control how much they spend on health. Why pay hundreds of extra dollars for a health insurance plan with tons of brightly colored benefits most may never use?

Don't let a sales agent put you in a plan that only gets 20% use. Why pay for the extra 80% if you do not need it. Tell them you want a plan that focuses on health. Not something that is expecting me to see a doctor for every bump and bruise. Because we just can not afford that these days.