Many feel that health insurance is a waste of money. These people are often quite healthy and have no need to see their physician beyond yearly check-ups. However, health insurance is extremely important because it not only offers you protection from harmful illnesses or diseases and creates a better quality of life, but it can protect you from financial devastation in the case of an emergency.
One of the most crucial reasons to have health insurance is to cover the costs of medical bills, emergency or non-emergency. Without health insurance, you may be tempted to not see a doctor about medical issues you have, or you may assume that they are not serious. Both of these options are harmful and unwise as medical issues will often progress and become worse over time.
Insurance is often about ensuring you are covered in an emergency situation. For instance, you carry automobile insurance so that if you ever get into an accident, you will not be responsible financially. Health insurance works in much the same way, but it is also used to cover basic medical expenses and sometimes even preventative care depending upon your insurance provider. This can increase or improve your quality of life by allowing you to be proactive in your health care instead of simply reacting to medical issues that may arise.
Furthermore, the costs of medical procedures and consultations have increased with time. Even a routine outpatient procedure, like the removal of gall bladder stones, can be a costly medical expense. Even a short visit to a specialist for diagnosis can be extremely expensive. Emergency medical issues or the development of possibly fatal or debilitating illnesses are one reason to have health insurance. The expenses to treat these medical issues can cost hundreds of thousands dollars and pull you into a financially disastrous situation. With late fees and minimum payments, you may never be able to pay off your medical bills, and hospitals and doctors will often send collection agencies after you. This is not only inconvenient, but can also can ruin your credit and make it impossible to rent an apartment or buy a car.
As you can see, health insurance is very important. It will not only improve your quality of life and ensure that you are in top-notch health, but it can save you money in the long-run. When you consider what in your life is most important, your health has to be on the top of the list. If you protect your possessions or your home with insurance because of their value, then you should insure your health as well. After all, isn't your health valuable too?
It's unfortunate fact: health insurance fraud is common in our society and it's not always possible to protect yourself from becoming a victim. In fact, most people won't even know they've fallen prey to health insurance fraud until they submit a claim for a medical service that they think is covered under their policy. It's often not until after a claim is denied that most people realize they've been a victim of health insurance fraud.
Is it possible to keep yourself from becoming a victim of health insurance fraud? Would you even know what to look for? While there probably are as many different fraud scenarios as there are victims, there is one thing that should always throw up a glaring red flag: health insurance coverage that seems too good for a price that seems incredibly low.
Be wary of unsolicited mail that advertises discounted health insurance, especially if you're not familiar with the name of the company making the offer. Before you take any further action, you should do what you can to research the credibility of the company. Health insurance companies are rated at this web site http://www.ambest.com/. You should also check with your State Insurance Commission to see if the company is licensed to do business in your state.
Most importantly, you also need to read the offer in its entirety, especially the fine print. Be very careful of any salesperson that asks you to pay using cash and/or requires you to pay the total amount of your premium in advance.
If you find that you are a victim of health insurance fraud, follow these guidelines immediately:
1. Contact your State Insurance Commissioner. Find out if they have any other complaints about the company from which you purchased your coverage. Also file a health insurance fraud complaint.
2. Contact your bank or credit card company to stop any future automatic payments that may be scheduled.
3. Contact your local law enforcement agency.
Be sure to have all of your cancelled checks or credit card statements and a copy of the health insurance contract that you signed. Also get a copy of your personal credit report from all three major credit reporting agencies as soon as possible. Many times people who perpetrate health insurance fraud also use your personal information to steal your identity and to commit other fraudulent acts.
Be smart and check out the health insurance company before you sign on the dotted line. As a final precaution, call your local hospital or personal physician and ask if they accept the insurance. If not, at least find out if they have ever heard of the insurance. When it comes to protecting yourself from health insurance fraud, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure.
Both Albert Alexander & Jimmy Wild are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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