As the US Presidential race heats up it is no surprise to discover that health care and health insurance is at the head of the agenda and, for tens of thousands of people, the possibility of finding an answer to the problem of getting low cost insurance cover for people suffering from pre-existing conditions may make Hillary Clinton's proposal an attractive choice. But will it work'As with the majority of proposals it sounds fantastic and promises new choices for those who presently have health insurance coverage and also for the 47,000,000 US citizens who are presently without health insurance coverage. In addition, it promises to cut your monthly premiums and give you better security of cover. For people suffering from pre-existing conditions it also promises to "end discrimination based on pre-existing conditions or expectations of illness".This plan to solve America's health insurance needs calls upon providers to work collaboratively with employers and patients to provide a high quality of health care at a price that is affordable and also calls upon government to implement reforms to the health care system to both increase the quality of care and decrease costs.Now of course this is just what everybody wants to see but if it were really that easy why is the health care system in such a mess today and why are costs soaring instead of declining?The simple truth is that this is merely the latest in a growing list of proposals to reform the health insurance system and is nothing more than pie in the sky. In reality it is nothing more than a political plan which is extremely well written and excellently presented and will undoubtedly to some extent meet its objective, which is simply to drum up votes. It will not however do anything to improve the health care system because it is simple not based in reality.Health insurance today is very big business and it has very little to do with offering health care and everything to do with making money for the insurers. Now you can talk to the providers until you are blue in the face however, unless the US government is willing to throw a considerable sum of money at the problem then costs will go on increasing.Anybody who has experienced private medical treatment abroad will know very well that much of the cost of providing care at home represents profits for the insurance companies and not the cost of providing care. You need only seek medical treatment in any of the wonderful hospitals in the Far East to see that you can get the very highest quality of care at a mere fraction of the cost of providing that same treatment in the US. And if you believe that the quality of treatment abroad is not as good as it is in the United States then think again because a lot of the hospitals in the Far East are staffed by very highly qualified doctors and surgeons and have some of the most up-to-date equipment to be found anywhere in the world.It is all very well to talk about working with the providers to lower costs but the truth of the matter is that it is far from being in their interests to do so. Costs will remain at their present high levels and indeed will continue to increase until the government itself decides to take over the responsibility for the provision of the majority of health care in the US.
Types of Insurance
Medical Insurance typically covers and specifies payment levels for doctor visits and treatment, medications, hospital stays, emergency room visits, surgical treatment, and so forth. There are wide variations in coverage plans, with numerous combinations of covered and excluded items, different coverage levels, deductible amounts, and other variables that make it impossible to offer a general statement regarding all coverage plans. Many employers offer an open enrollment period annually, during which employees may select from different coverage plans. Careful selection of the appropriate plan for each individual is a critical task.
Dental Insurance is sometimes included in medical plans, but more often it is a separate policy. Virtually all dental plans cover annual or semi-annual cleanings and check-ups, with many plans increasing the covered percentage with regular appointment attendance over time. Routine treatments such as cavity fillings, bridges, and the like, are also typically covered, though the amount of coverage can vary. Braces are sometimes covered for minor dependents, and more rarely for adults. Cosmetic procedures are typically not covered.
Vision insurance is often offered as a separate plan to go along with medical insurance. Vision plans typically cover an annual check-up, with glasses or contacts covered to a pre-determined limit every year or two. Necessary medical procedures to protect or correct eye health are usually covered. At this time LASIK or other corrective procedures are rarely covered.
Managed Care
One of the biggest trends in medical insurance over the past two decades in the United States has been the rise of managed care as a primary delivery model for medical care. Based on the concept of centralized decision making, pooled resources, and efficient delivery of services, Health Management Organizations, or HMOs, do offer economical coverage, often at much lower premiums than privately managed insurance plans. Critics, however, point to longer wait times for appointments, fewer physicians from which to choose, and often the need for specialist referrals as weaknesses of the HMO mode. Regardless of the advantages or disadvantages of HMOs, it seems certain that this organizational model will continue to grow in popularity.
Medicare and Medicaid
The United States government has, for many years, funded two particular programs to help extend medical coverage to individuals who may not be able to otherwise access the necessary health care. Medicare is designed to help elderly Americans pay for their health care. More recently, the Medicare Part D program was set up to help the elderly pay for prescription drugs. Medicaid is intended to help impoverished Americans obtain health care; however, with high administrative costs, low reimbursement rates, and an often complicated set of restrictions and requirements, the number of physicians who accept Medicaid has decreased steadily over the past several years.
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