Chicago Health Insurance Tips

Ever noticed that health insurance companies are starting to do a better job of explaining things to customers?

The time has come for health insurance companies to lay their cards on the table and tell their customers why they pay the premiums that they do. While this is a refreshing change, one might wonder why this wasn’t standard operating procedure in the first place. After all, consumers like to know where their dollars are being spent.

Surfing the Internet will bring up any number of articles on Chicago health insurance and it’s easy to see that insurance companies are getting into more detail about their policies and premiums. For a change, they are letting people know that Chicago health insurance is pricey because of things like new improvements in the drug arena, fancy new medical equipment, general inflation, a hike of professional and hospital fees, government orders, fraud, customer demand, and litigation.

While people may think the premiums are increased just because the insurance company can do that, it is actually not the case. Chicago health insurance companies are governed by many outside forces that have an effect on their bottom line operating costs.

Perhaps the biggest reason the price of premiums keeps going up is that it is really difficult to monitor Chicago health care costs. What that means in the overall scheme of things is that if the Chicago health insurance is expensive, it cuts down on the amount of money used for health care. Some examples of not being able to successfully monitor costs is the fact that virtually 40% of health care costs (direct and indirect) are the result of “avoidable” choices in lifestyle – smoking, stress, lack of exercise, poor diet and doing drugs.

If people chose to live healthier lifestyles, they’d live longer and also pay less in Chicago health insurance premiums. It’s pretty much a given that taking care of one’s health on a daily basis will pay off handsomely in the long-term. With lower health care costs would come greater public access to Chicago health insurance policies. By changing daily choices to what is best for our own health care, our overall options would drastically improve and our Chicago health insurance costs would go down. It’s definitely something to think about.

To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

Chicago Health Insurance

Knowing that the right health insurance is in place is something that puts a person’s mind at ease.

Getting the right Chicago health insurance is critical to one’s well-being. It’s a plain fact that at some point, everyone will get sick and need medical care. With the right Chicago health insurance, this can be a reality.
The other alterative is that health care will be refused without coverage. The sad thing is many people don’t understand they will be denied treatment if they don’t have Chicago health insurance. They wait until they need something and then find out the bad news.

For those who happen to work at a small company, be sure to find out if the employer offers the right kind of Chicago health insurance, and that the coverage is complete. Running without complete coverage may save money on premiums, but it won’t save money when it comes to paying for medical treatment. Often it’s too late before people realize this and they find their savings wiped out for what they thought was a minor medical incident that got out of control.

Knowing the coverage is important; there are several things people can do to get the right kind of Chicago health insurance. For instance, make decisions in advance about what is affordable and what scope of insurance is needed. Being able to handle those minor health problems may mean getting a different scope of health insurance coverage than people with existing health conditions.

Make it a point to search the Internet and compare various levels of Chicago health insurance and the going rates. This beats having agents call, trying to sell a plan that might not make sense in certain circumstances.

Ideally, to get Chicago health insurance, find a local health insurance broker and call them directly asking questions about what they offer on their site. The broker should be someone who has multiple carriers and spends the time needed to make sure all questions and concerns are answered thoroughly. In addition to checking out websites, find brokers that offer instant quotes that will provide a general idea of pricing for what is needed for Chicago health insurance.

To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

Illinois Family Health Insurance

Illinois family health insurance is one of the hottest commodities on the market today.

It’s a fact of life in Illinois that most employers are no longer able to offer insurance for their workers’ families. In response to this decline in coverage, Illinois family health insurance has rapidly grown into a force to be reckoned with over the last ten years or so. Today it is one of the most popular forms of medical coverage available in Illinois.

So, if you’re having a rough time trying to find the kind of Illinois family health insurance place that will do what you want it to do and protect you and your loved ones, then spend some time shopping around online at a reputable Illinois health insurance broker’s site. Look for a site that answers your questions; one where the broker genuinely cares about getting you the best deal and coverage, and won’t charge you an arm and a leg for it. What you ideally want is a broker who will focus on “your” needs and tailor them to suit you.

Shopping online for competitive quotes is the best way to make sure you do get what you need, and by all means, jump in head first and take advantage of competitive quotes. Shopping for Illinois family health insurance is not just about getting health insurance that works, but about getting a deal that works well for you.

When you’re shopping for those Illinois family health insurance quotes, choose a broker who has access to many carriers and can pick and choose, in partnership with you, what health insurance plan is the best fit. When the broker is able to offer multiple carriers with differing plans and premiums, getting the medical coverage policy you want is a reality – and a reality at a price you will be able to afford.

Know what you want to spend and then check out the total cost of each plan, making sure to include the price of the premiums in the total. Also figure in your out-of-pocket expenses and deductibles if applicable. This will give you a more realistic picture of what you will be spending and what you will get for your money.

Look for flexible medical coverage that will let you pick and choose the precise coverage you need. Your insurance broker should be able to do that with you. In fact, the best insurance brokers will be right there with you every step of the way, answering your questions and helping you compare plans to see which one makes the most sense.

While it might take some time to shop around and find out what you need to know, it’s well worth it later when you wind up with an expert insurance broker who believes in quality service, and an Illinois family health insurance plan that makes you a happy camper.

Randy Gillespie is with Illinois health insurance agency, Focus Insurance Group. To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

Health Insurance in Illinois

Health insurance in Illinois for the slightly over 20 crowd just got better.

There’s a new option for parents who want to check out health insurance in Illinois for their about-to-graduate young adults. This new law came into effect June 1, 2009, and it lets families keep young adults on their health insurance policies until they reach the age of 26 years old. This is a major step forward for health insurance in Illinois and takes care of parents’ concerns about medical coverage for their older children.

There is one important eligibility requirement that your young adult must meet to be kept on your family health insurance in Illinois, and that is they must not be married. Other than that, any young adult under the age of 26 whose parents have a health insurance policy is eligible. In addition to this, a young adult who is under the age of 30 and whose parent(s) served in the military is also eligible, provided they live in the state and are not married.

This law doesn’t apply to union plans or companies that are self-insured. If you’re in doubt about your status, check with the human resources department. Typically, the law also does not apply to insurance policies that were issued outside the state of Illinois. There is one exception though, and that is if you have coverage through an HMO with a network of physicians and hospitals in Illinois.

Getting enrolled in this program is easy. If the family has medical coverage that includes dependents, there is a 90-day enrollment period for the children when the policy is due for renewal. You might want to find out when the open enrollment period is due to speed things up a bit. Prior to open enrollment of the 90-day period, parents might need individual insurance to cover that gap or find out if they are eligible for COBRA or Illinois continuation coverage. If you have any doubt, speak to a qualified Illinois health insurance broker who has access to numerous carriers and will be able to assist you in making the right choice of insurance for your family’s needs.

Don’t miss the 90-day enrollment period. The reason for this is that an insurance company can’t exclude your children from coverage because they weren’t previously insured. In addition, once the open enrollment period is over, the insurance company may insist on continuous coverage, meaning the company will only issue a policy if someone has prior medical coverage for 90-days.

It’s best to move quickly and take advantage of this law during the first year it is in effect, as the 90-day enrollment periods are “only” available in this first year from June 1 through May 31, 2010. After that time period, you may enroll your young adult during a regular 30-day enrollment at your place of work. Be aware that the insurance company may want continuous coverage.

To find out what costs are involved or to talk about pre-existing conditions, make it a point to speak to an expert health insurance broker with lots of experience who is able to put you with a carrier without riders or exclusions if at all possible.

Randy Gillespie is with Illinois health insurance agency, Focus Insurance Group. To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

Illinois Health Insurance Not Complicated

If you have the ability to be able to compare health insurance plans and premium payments by seeing them online all in one place, it’s not that hard to make a decision on what to buy.

Usually when shopping for health insurance, the people you talk to say the prices are the same. In most instances, this is the case, but with one exception – shopping for Medicare Supplements will save you money, as quotes on supplements are quite variable.

That's good news that you will actually save money on health care insurance, or to be more specific, save money on Medicare supplements. This is just about the only area in the whole Medicare health insurance business where you will save money by calling around for quotes. And not just save nickels and dimes either, but enough to make a difference over the year.

It's possible to save money on Medicare supplements and still be able to get decent health care coverage. Without getting too complicated here, this is doable because in all states Medicare supplements are priced the same; priced the same, however, also means that insurance companies don't have to offer anything more than Part A – period.

The other letters of the alphabet B-L are optional. So, because the B-L parts are optional, insurance companies tend to charge what the market will bear, if they offer them at all. This is why when you compare Illinois health insurance online at a site that offers side-by-side quotes and all the other information you need, you will see right away which carriers offer the better deals. It doesn’t get any easier than that.

Sometimes the market will bear a higher rate and sometimes not. While this may sound a bit capricious, it's actually more of a business decision rather than prompted by competition. So here's the thing. Say for instance you are 70 years old and are asking about Part F or J (which covers all expenses). Call big brand name company number one and the quote is $115.00 a month. Call slightly less well known company two and the quote is $100 a month – and presto there's a savings of $180 a year.

This is just an example of savings that can be had by comparing health insurance rates online at a website that shows all the carriers, their design plans, requirements and pricing. Choosing Illinois Medicare supplements has never been easier. The savings could even be larger and rack up a bigger amount by the end of the year. It's really well worth the time to surf online and get some quotes. Really, saving money in this day and age is a delightful bonus while still getting good health insurance coverage.

To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

Beware the Instant Quote

While it’s nice to get an instant Illinois health insurance quote online, people need to be wary about where their personal information is going.

There are many options for Illinois health insurance that may be purchased privately or publically, depending on what suits the person shopping for health insurance. There are also equally as many insurance agents and brokerage firms to choose from when searching for Illinois health insurance quotes. In addition, the selection of products available will provide even the most well versed Internet surfer with a gigantic headache when faced with the list of health insurance plans.

In some ways it’s a real boon to have as many choices for insurance as Illinois health insurance brokers offer; such as CHIP health insurance quotes, disability insurance, senior health, small group health, employer-based group health plans, student health, and kid’s Illinois health insurance quotes. Selecting an Illinois insurance quote that suits the individual or the situation is only part of the process. The next step is to determine what websites to visit to get a quote. Those sites could include Short-Term Medical, BCBS of Illinois, Humana One, Unicare, etc.

It’s not so much that people searching for online Illinois health insurance quotes won’t find sites to get quotes. They will find quotes, but if they land on a lead capture page, their names will be sold to other businesses in the health care industry. To be safe and get the best information possible, one needs to go to a website where they can pull up to four quotes at once and do a side-by-side comparison. This will give the person a starting point in their search for health insurance. For further information, it’s the smart choice to speak to the insurance agent running the website.

Online forms usually ask most of the basics like age, height, weight, sex, whether a person is a smoker or not, some details about any current Illinois health insurance plans, medical conditions and other miscellaneous information. In most cases the company chosen uses the information to provide a quote for what may be the best plan in the circumstances. That would include rates from different kinds of plans and also different Illinois health insurance companies.

Keep in mind that there are usually two ways to get a quote: quick or instant quote, and a custom quote. Quickie quotes come back instantly with general details, but do not factor in any medical history or other underwriting requirements. They don’t include benefit options or include maternity benefits. Opting for a custom quote would provide more in-depth information.

While this all sounds on the up and up, remember there are companies on the Internet that only want personal information to collect data to sell as leads to insurance agents or who will turn around and sell the information provided to other companies in the health care market. They provide you with a quote in some cases, but by then personal information has been sent elsewhere.

If a person isn’t totally clear where their personal information is going, they should think twice about hitting that submit button. It makes the most sense in this case to call the phone number listed on the site(s) and speak to an insurance agent to make sure information is going to a legitimate insurance company and not some data collection outfit.

To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

The Different Parts of Medicare

Medicare parts A and B provide complete protection or comprehensive coverage. Many Americans believe the combination offers complete protection. This isn’t the case.

While many people have both parts A and B of Medicare, they are making a mistake by thinking that they have complete protection. What they have is comprehensive coverage, but this is not the same thing as complete protection.

If you go back a bit in history, Medicare has never covered outpatient prescription costs, with the onetime exception in 1989. Things mostly remained that way until 2003 when a new act was brought into force – the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act. All that whole mouthful means is that it expanded Medicare to include a prescription drug benefit that started in 2006.

You might be wondering why the change wasn’t implemented earlier. This has to do with the fact that Medicare has the right to definitively outline the care it will cover, and that includes part D. This brings up another interesting point, the one that says all medical treatments and procedures must be approved by Medicare. This is the major reason why you need to have a good working knowledge of Medicare to really understand the program.

Not many people seem to realize that every part of Medicare offers benefits for different types of care and that Medicare parts A and B each have different co-payments, out-of-pocket expenses and limits. What this really means is that you almost have two different insurance policies.

What do you need to know to have your medical expenses covered by Medicare? The first thing you need to know is that your treatment is medically required and deemed appropriate for the condition you have. Medicare must approve your treatment and it must have been prescribed by a doctor.

They won’t OK coverage of unique procedures or experimental treatments. If however you feel you have been wrongly denied, you do have the right to appeal the decision. Why is this stuff important for you to know? It is significant for you to know because Medigap and/or Medicare supplement insurance only pays a claim if Medicare accepts the expenses as reasonable.

Keep in mind that no matter where you buy Medicare plans and/or Medicare supplement plans, they are all the same, all standardized. The only differences will be what one company charges versus another. The thing to pay attention to is that since the plans were standardized, plan F has become the most popular because customers value the full coverage. This isn’t to say that there aren’t other viable alternatives such as plan C, D or G because many hospitals and physicians don’t demand the patient pay more than what Medicare approves.

Randy Gillespie is with Illinois health insurance agency, Focus Insurance Group. To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

Buying Family Health Insurance Coverage in Illinois

Buying family health insurance in Illinois isn’t that difficult if you follow a few guidelines.

One of the first things to consider is having every family member on a separate policy. While that idea might go against the grain, there is a very good reason for it. It’s a proven fact that some insurance carriers have actually cancelled a whole family’s health insurance coverage because of something that might be wrong with just “one” dependent. That’s a pretty scary thought to have everyone in the whole family suddenly without health insurance.

Don’t jump whole hog into buying health insurance from a company no one seems to know very much about. The ideal thing is to thoroughly check out whether the company under consideration has a good track record for paying claims or not. Word of mouth is often helpful here.

If there isn’t much information to be found about the company, take a pass and move on to another choice. The ideal health insurance agent is one who will spend time educating clients about their options and not pressuring them to buy anything, not to mention the agent knows precisely who has a good track record for paying their claims.

When choosing an insurance company before buying health insurance, it’s a good idea to pick a company that does “not” hike rates every six months after the initial first year with them. While this might seem impossible to believe, it does happen and in fact there are examples of insurance companies handing out a 31% rate hike every six months after the first 12 months, this despite assuring the customer would only see (on average) a mere 8% increase in rates. No one needs to be dealing with rate increases like that.

It may be tempting to fudge a person’s health status on an insurance application; after all it just seems like a “little white lie.” Never try and hide any health conditions from the insurer. It is a virtual guarantee that they “will” find out later during the course of medical testing, etc. Finding out later has some serious repercussions that may include policy cancellation.

Don’t go to the doctor’s office that often? If that is the case, consider a different type of health insurance, as there is no sense in paying for the ability to visit the doctor frequently if that never happens. It doesn’t make sense to fork over hard earned money for doctor co-pays if it isn’t necessary.

Seek an expert health insurance agent that isn’t just out to sell something, but takes the time to help figure out which plan would be the very best fit for everyone that needs health insurance.

To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

Illinois HSAs Rock

The twenty first century calls for innovative changes in health care across the country. Americans are now able to take advantage of a Health Savings Account, something just a little different than traditional health care insurance.

Concerned health care consumers are able to opt for paying current expenses and save for future qualified medical/retiree health expenses on a tax-free basis by buying Illinois HSAs – Health Savings Accounts. These are much better than doctor’s office co-pay plans.

Why are they better? They’re better because the Illinois HSAs cover everything and not “just” the visit to the doctor’s office. In addition, not many people realize that when they go for further diagnostics after they’ve paid their portion of the doctor’s bill, the lab tests and other services have to be paid for out-of-pocket.
To take advantage of Health Savings Accounts an individual needs a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). The HDHP is also referred to as catastrophic health insurance, and usually costs less than traditional health care coverage. The reason it costs less is due to the fact the first several thousand dollars are paid by the client before coverage kicks in.

Money saved on insurance may then accrue in a Health Savings Account. The money in the account belongs to the account owner and decisions made to spend the funds are the sole responsibility of the account holder, not a third party or health insurance carrier.

Other interesting benefits offered by a Health Savings Account include the ability to invest the money however the account holder sees fit to grow money to save for the future. Having control over the disposition and day-to-day account management adds value to this alternative solution to traditional health insurance plans.

People don't buy an Illinois Health Savings Account. It's just that – a savings account that accrues money on a tax-preferred basis. The only thing purchased with an HSA is the HDHP. The idea is the HDHP covers the shortfall if medical bills exceed funds available in the HSA.

To qualify for an Illinois Health Savings Account the minimum deductible for the HDHP is set at a certain amount for individuals and families, as are out-of-pocket expenses. Speak to your expert local insurance broker about the variable deductible amounts, about preventive care and higher out-of-pocket limits.
Banks, credit unions, insurance companies and other approved companies offer Illinois Health Savings Accounts for the general public. Or an employer may offer a plan for workers. If other health care plans do not pay out significant dollar amounts, they may be kept along with the Health Savings Account.

Randy Gillespie is with Illinois health insurance agency, Focus Insurance Group. To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

The Pre-Existing Conditions Conundrum

There are times that finding an Illinois health insurance plan suitable for a pre-existing health condition is difficult, if not next to impossible. What do people do about that?

The first thing to understand when dealing with Illinois health insurance is what the definition of a pre-existing health condition happens to be. To simplify a sometimes long and drawn out description, a pre-existing condition is one where a person has seen a doctor and has been diagnosed with a “condition or illness,” and has been treated prior to applying for Illinois health insurance.

The tricky situation then becomes the fact that many Illinois health insurance companies use the application questionnaires to implement an exclusion period to defend themselves against people with pre-existing health conditions. It is often used as a loophole to deny insurance, rider it or accept it, but with a higher premium.

The conundrum in Illinois is that if a person is looking for individual Illinois health insurance and they have a pre-existing condition, the insurance company can turn them down unless the person happens to be eligible for an Illinois Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, HIPAA. Without getting too technical, HIPAA protects Illinois health coverage for workers and their families if they change or lose their jobs and provides protection for those with pre-existing medical conditions by limiting their exclusion period.
While it’s a good thing to have that law in place to protect people who need Illinois health insurance, the unfortunate thing is that the law hasn’t gotten rid of the ability of insurance companies to deny health insurance to those with pre-existing health conditions or even excluding medical conditions. What this boils down to is that there’s only guarantee issue in State sponsored plans and in insurance company funded plans. If an applicant for Illinois health insurance meets six HIPAA criteria, they are eligible for guaranteed issue HIPAA. In a pinch, this may be the only route those with major pre-existing health conditions are able to take.

Illinois health insurance companies all tend to handle pre-existing health conditions differently, so it’s best to do some serious research online and in person to find out what company and policy will be applicable. It’s a given that individual plans have more exclusions and are more expensive than group plans. When in doubt, ask a local insurance agent what is available and what the requirements are to apply.

Some of the most important insurance companies in the state of Illinois handle pre-existing conditions a little bit differently, because of this it is important to do some research and actually shop around for a policy before deciding to apply. Individual plans have more exclusions than group plans and that is why they are quite a bit less expensive, because they are more restrictive.

To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

How to Get Competitive Health Insurance in Illinois

Getting competitive health insurance in Illinois is a whole lot easier that you might think.

How easy is easy? Really, it is a lot easier to get competitive health insurance quotes in Illinois by doing smart surfing online and finding a site that offers side-by-side competitive quotes. Not just a few things side-by-side, but a site that offers customers the best bang for their buck.

Keep in mind that not all the things one sees on an online insurance website are always applicable to your particular situation. For instance, you may find a totally outstanding quote and note that it is the “preferred” rate. That means you have to meet certain criteria in order to be eligible for that particular Illinois health insurance policy. This is one of the major reasons you will want to talk to the agent who owns and runs the website you are surfing, to clarify any questions you might have about the quotes you will receive.

Sometimes just reading quotes side-by-side online, or side-by-side comparisons made by an expert health insurance broker after you have provided your information makes sense and sometimes there are unanswered questions that can be cleared up by an insurance expert. Always take the time to carefully compare the health insurance plans you see online, paying particular attention to two things – what is included in the plan and what the price happens to be.

There are various choices of health insurance plans that may be tailor-made to suit your circumstances with some tweaking. You will definitely have a wide variety of carriers to choose from when you find an Illinois health insurance website with up-to-date information.

You might be wondering why you have a good chance of finding a “deal” on Medicare supplements. This happens because each private insurance carrier has the option to offer Medicare (if they do offer Medicare, as not all insurers do) at a rate they choose. So it makes a lot of sense to have a health insurance expert provide you with side-by-side comparisons after providing your information. Of course you will want to make sure that the Medicare supplements you want will dovetail with the Medicare plan you ultimately choose.

If at any time you have questions while getting your competitive Illinois health insurance quotes, reach for the phone and make that personal call to the expert. It goes without saying that you only want the best in Illinois health insurance for you and your family.

Randy Gillespie is with Illinois health insurance agency, Focus Insurance Group. To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

Keeping Networks Is a Good Thing

Sometimes, the more things change, the more they remain the same. This seems especially true when talking about Illinois health insurance.

It wasn’t too long ago that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois told their members that one of their hospitals, St. John’s, was making the decision to discontinue its status as a Medicare Select contracting network hospital. That decision, which caused a lot of pandemonium, was supposed to kick-in on the 17th of June, 2009.

Of course the implications for a decision like this that affected Illinois health insurance echoed far and wide, with the major complaint, aside from what people would do to replace the service they were getting, was having to change to another type of plan that was more expensive. An agreement was ironed out where Blue Cross Blue Shield helped people who’d lost their original Illinois health insurance plans to get reinstated and credited for premium increases that arose due to changing plans.

This kind of thing raises the very specter of changes coming to the health care system over the next few years. And along with the changes come the questions of whether or not the changes will be beneficial. This is one of the toughest questions to answer with any degree of certainty.

It would involve having a crystal ball and a system that would address everyone’s medical needs; a system that would be affordable and accessible to all. Comprehensive health care reform is supposedly coming, and likely won’t come any too soon given the current state of the health system. In the meantime we muddle along with what works the best at any given time, and that includes Medicare Select.

Medicare Select is basically an Illinois health insurance Medicare supplemental insurance plan that provides you with choices. They also have the advantage of being priced at an even more reasonable level than the usual versions of Medigap insurance policies. The one major difference that you might want to be aware of is that Medicare Select acts like a managed care plan. That simply means that you’d have to use doctors and hospitals that are in an Illinois health insurance network. In addition, your insurance company will only pay full benefits if you got your medical care from a preferred health provider who is, once again, a part of the insurance company’s designated network.

Let’s take a quick look at an example. If you go to see a preferred provider physician, Medicare pays the approved charges. Your supplemental insurer pays the full benefits under your policy. However, if you choose to use services outside the plan network, the plan may deny the claim entirely or only pick up a very limited portion.

So really, there are three things you need to know and remember about a Medicare Select plan. The first thing is that it is considered to be an Illinois health insurance supplemental product, just about the same as Medigap insurance. In other words, when you buy a Medicare Select policy, you’re getting a standard Medigap plan. And, as we already pointed out (but it’s worth mentioning again) pretty much the only difference between a standard Medigap policy and a Medicare Select policy is that the Select policies are managed care plans. To get full benefits from the Select plans, you will need to use designated hospitals, clinics and even certain doctors. This will explain why these plans are priced lower than similar Medigap policies.

Something else you also need to know about Medicare Select plans is that they are typically only offered in larger cities in Illinois. If you live outside a large city, you may have other options. To find out what those options are, contact an expert Illinois insurance agent in your area.

Randy Gillespie is with Illinois health insurance agency, Focus Insurance Group. To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

Insurance Buyer Beware

While it's a good thing to be able to access lots of Illinois health insurance quotes online, it doesn't always mean that what the consumer sees online will suit them.

It's a smart choice to find health insurance quotes online because it saves time. However, saving time and finding out what a person really needs to know doesn't always work when surfing the Internet. There's definitely a plethora of information about various Illinois health insurance plans, but is "all" the information there?

People may even apply for insurance online in the convenience of their own home, thinking they will avoid speaking to an Illinois health insurance broker. This is where people begin to fall through the cracks. Even if they are offered multiple Illinois health insurance quotes to compare online, no online insurance quote is able to completely answer all the questions a health insurance shopper may have.

Furthermore, even if an online shopper uses the single engine quoting technology, it doesn't mean they will get quotes on all the plans that are actually available. This largely depends on the state where the consumer lives, who the insurance carriers are, and which plan options that particular Illinois health insurance agency offers. Since these Illinois health insurance quotes can't give everyone every last plan they have online, most carriers will ask for contact information.

Once personal information is given, then in most cases, insurance companies are able to directly contact the consumer, if they want that kind of contact. There is an understandable reluctance to provide personal information by this method (quoting software) as there are some companies (even though they do provide quotes) that really only want the personal information to re-sell it.

A person who suddenly gets a whole slew of emails and phone calls from businesses vaguely related to Illinois health insurance will know their personal information was passed on. This is highly frustrating to people just wanting a quote and to talk to an agent for further clarification.

The other insurance marketing reality on the Internet is the tech companies who work it so their websites specifically gather names and contact info. The thing is that insurance agents or agencies do not own these sites; they belong to a company who sells leads to Illinois health insurance agents. The lesson is that if someone is searching for health insurance information, check the authenticity of the site by placing a call to the agent listed on the site.

To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

For Those Who Need Insurance Now

When it comes to denying Illinois health insurance for pre-existing conditions, or having to sit out a waiting period, Americans are wondering what's the point in having insurance.

If someone does have a pre-existing condition and gets declined by an Illinois health insurance company, or in the alternative, gets told they could have coverage, but only after sitting out a waiting period, what good is health insurance? "People in these situations need Illinois health insurance now, not later. The plain facts of life are that if an individual is forced into a waiting period before getting coverage, it might be too late," said Randy Gillespie of the Focus Insurance Group in Liberty, Illinois.

It's downright amazing the kind of creative excuses that some Illinois health insurance companies use to not pay claims. While this is somewhat amusing, those who are currently pregnant might not be so thrilled with the fact that pregnancy is classified as a pre-existing condition. That means some insurance companies may deny you coverage if you are pregnant when you apply for insurance.

As unfortunate as this kind of behavior may be, it is the result of a free market populated with private health care companies. All of these private health care companies also have one thing in mind – the bottom financial line. If they think someone will cost them money, they may try and find a way to not offer Illinois health insurance. However, that does leave some people in a major bind.

There is a way around situations like this and that is to shop for guaranteed issue Illinois health insurance. "This means a person won't be denied health insurance – period. It means everyone gets approved, no matter what their medical history happens to be, whether or not they have pre-existing conditions, or are a higher risk for certain diseases or conditions. It's definitely possible to find guaranteed issue health insurance for those with pre-existing conditions," added Randy Gillespie of the Focus Insurance Group in Liberty, Illinois.

To find out more information about guaranteed issue health insurance for pre-existing conditions, contact an experienced Illinois health insurance broker who will not only explain how guaranteed issue works, but what its benefits are and how to sign up for it, if that is the decision.

To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

Would Someone Please Explain Co-Insurance?

There aren't too many people who really understand the concept of co-insurance.

This isn't to say that some people "do" get the idea of what co-insurance really involves. There are, however, many more that get a nasty surprise when they leave a company for which they worked and had a group plan, a low deductible and a low doctor's office visit co-pay. Co-insurance has actually been around for quite a long time; it's just that managed care began to take over in the form of PPO and HMO plans.

In order to tackle the rising costs of health care, co-insurance came into being and varied by company and the plan they chose. It's used to be the good old standby of 80% and 20% for the next $10,000. This isn't to say that doesn't still exist, but there are now newer options to cut Illinois health insurance premiums. The low-end co-insurance range is 50% / 50% to the upper end of 100% with the co-insurance coming in at zero dollars to $50,000.

Would you want a 50/50 split? That depends on how you feel about taking risks and also takes into consideration one's budget and how healthy they happen to be. To be on the safe side, most savvy Illinois health insurance brokers will recommend the 80/20 or 60/40 percentages of the next $10,000 to $15,000.

So, to get to the meat of the matter, just what is co-insurance? Co-insurance is the amount of money you pay for medical services after you meet your deductible in a calendar year. A co-payment is a fixed dollar amount and co-insurance is a percentage. Let's look at a quick example: there are quite a number of insurance plans with a 20% co-insurance of the next $10,000 "after" the deductible for hospital expenses, diagnostic tests, x-rays and lab work. This means "you" pay the 20%. Remember however, that the amount is capped per calendar year.

So let's just use the example that you happen to have a $2,000 deductible in your calendar year with an 80% / 20% of the next $10,000. If you do the math, you will see that out-of-pocket expenses for that year would be $4,000 (for an individual) for covered services. Since a lot of this insurance lingo may be confusing, contact an Illinois health insurance expert to help you make some sense of co-insurance and what will work for you.

Randy Gillespie is with Illinois health insurance agency, Focus Insurance Group. To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

COBRA and HIPAA Save the Working Day

If you've lost your job, then you're likely worried about medical coverage.

Losing a job these days in this recession seems to be far more common than we would like it to be. Those who still have jobs may even be thinking about quitting to work somewhere else with more stability, but are scared their health insurance provider won't take them on because of a pre-existing condition. In either of these situations, you can rely on COBRA or HIPAA. Both of these protect coverage if you are switching workplaces.

For those of you not familiar with the acronyms COBRA and HIPAA, they stand for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reduction Act and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. In terms of COBRA it will let workers extend health coverage when their employer's policy ends.

There are a number of reasons why that may happen, including your job is terminated, if you were covered but coverage is stopped because of legal separation or divorce, and in the event of a disability. There are other reasons as well, but it is best to speak with a qualified health insurance broker and have everything laid out in plain English.

Generally speaking, in most states, this kind of coverage is limited to workplaces with 20 or more workers. Having said that, there are states that have the minimum amount of employees, two. You need to ask an insurance expert what is applicable where you live.

Let's say you're out of a job. You now have 60 days to continue coverage under COBRA. If you choose to go that route, you then you have 45 days to pay your retroactive premiums. Once the premiums are caught up you will have coverage unless and until you cancel it, you stop paying premiums, become eligible for another policy or Medicare, or the COBRA continuation period has maxed out. Again, you really need to check all this out with an expert insurance agent who will be able to outline what you need to do and what will happen in various situations.

On the other side of the coin, HIPAA lets people switch companies and get approved whether they have pre-existing conditions or not. It's pretty straightforward and simple. The company you go to must accept you. Again, there are a multitude of things you will need to know about HIPAA protections; e.g. pregnancy/prenatal health problems are not pre-existing conditions.

Also speak to your insurance broker about acknowledging credit for prior insurance polices in the previous 12 months, etc. Rather than be confused, take the time to consult with a knowledgeable health insurance agent who can help you keep your health coverage while switching employers.

Randy Gillespie is with Illinois health insurance agency, Focus Insurance Group. To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

Older People May Pay More for Illinois Health Insurance

While it might seem a bit lopsided, older individuals do tend to pay more for Illinois health insurance.

Paying more for Illinois health insurance if one is older may seem to be discriminatory, but on reflection, it actually isn't. It's very simply attributable to the fact that being older usually brings with it medical conditions that need more care. Older people also tend to need an Illinois health insurance plan that gives them more coverage.

Younger individuals happily don't really need the extra care and attention some older individuals do. Current statistics, the cost of insurance policies, and our common sense all support that point.

While it might on the surface sound like it’s a punitive move, it actually has more to do with the realities of life for an older person. Of course, even as we age one of our major priorities needs to be taking care of ourselves, a key to a longer, healthier life. Unfortunately, many people don't take care of their health and this choice is reflected in the increased price for Illinois health insurance premiums.

Providing health care to people who neglect their health comes in at an astronomical cost. This is one of the major reasons why the health system in America is really in trouble and has been for quite a long time.

If we don't participate in our own health care, how do we expect others to take care of us? No one can make that decision for us – to do what we can to be and stay healthy. The health system is only able to pick up the pieces once the consequences of our not so wise choices come home to roost.

While age is a differentiating factor in Illinois health insurance costs and likely needs to match the realities of life, the bottom line is how a person takes responsibility for their own care, prior to using a system originally designed for major life illnesses.

To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

Despite Health Insurance Changes Coming, Our Rates May Still Soar

Illinois health insurance rates will likely go up in the near future. It's a bit inevitable, like taxes.

The question is why are the Illinois health insurance rates sneaking up? The answer isn't going to be something many people like, although they may identify with it when they stop to think about it. The reason Illinois health insurance rates are going up over time is directly due to us. In plain English, we don't look after ourselves and because we don't, we have driven up the cost of health care.

Life is about choices, and many of us have made the choice to smoke, drink, take drugs, and participate in extreme sports that are dangerous or just in general live life on the edge. Many of us have also chosen to be overweight because we don't have the inclination to work out or eat properly. Americans have the highest rate of obesity in the developed world and the costs of treating these patients, along with smokers, alcoholics and drug addicts, is staggering.

There are other factors that drive up the costs of health care as well. For instance, medical errors and medical inflation drive up the price tag on Illinois health insurance rates. While medical errors do tend to be costly, the good news is that they appear to be on the decline for now.

The real high ticket item in the health system is medical inflation, and the problem is, no one knows the "real" prices of any medical services provided. If someone needs a broken finger set and wants to know the cost, no one will volunteer that information.

This is because no one knows what the bill will be until it is made up – literally. While it may have been worth $150 on a regular day, it might be that an extra splint was needed for the finger, adding another $50 to the tab later. No one will even give what they think is a reasonable guesstimate for services either. You tend to be billed for each item used. Now we know why the costs are so high and somewhat on the creative side.

Doctor's offices do tell the largest insurance companies paying the bills how much it costs per day to stay in the hospital and what a certain surgery costs. This is because the doctor is paid a rate by the insurance company and then bills the patient extra for other items.

For lower Illinois health insurance rates don't smoke, don't drink in excess, and get motivated to work out. The healthier a person is, the less expensive health care costs tend to be.

To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com.

It Would Help to Know the Real Cost of Illinois Health Care

If we all knew what the real cost of health care was these days, it would sure help out with budgeting to buy Illinois health insurance.

If we knew the real price of going to the doctor for a cold or to the ER for a broken leg, how would it make a difference? It would make an enormous difference in one very significant way. If you knew precisely what the cost of a particular medical "service" was versus being clueless about the price because someone else pays the bill, you would really watch your spending. You'd budget wisely to get the best and most affordable Illinois heath insurance.

Being smart with money, and in particular those funds earmarked for health care expenses, saves money and prevents us from overloading the health system. How does that work? If we realized the steep bill we'd get for going to the doctor for a cold, we'd be thinking twice about going as often as we do.

We run to the doctor to ask about trying some new medication we saw on TV, not thinking that one visit may run us up to $150 depending on what the doctor does. Seeing a doctor is not cheap, nor should it be given their level of expertise. We just need to learn to use Illinois health insurance to its best advantage and be covered for things we "really" need.

If you have children who tend to pick up every cough, cold and flu that rages through their school, you might want to wait on running to the doctor if you are able to successfully treat it at home. This is not applicable if your child has something really serious or a history of a weakened immune system.

If you have four kids and they all go to see the doctor for a cold and you use your nice low co-pay benefits, you have no idea what it really cost to have the doctor look in their ears, down their throat and say, "It's a cold, drink plenty of fluids, and rest." On the other hand, if you knew the cost is $100 per child and you had to pay for it out of your own pocket, you'd think twice about a trip to the clinic.

The thought of spending $400 for something that may have been treated at home would certainly make people think twice about overusing the health system. After all, the health system was initially created to deal exclusively with life's major accidents, like a broken leg or a heart attack. It was not intended to cater to colds and other minor ailments.

Our health system is limited in what it is able to offer when trying to cover everything for everyone. The more the system is overused for things that we could handle on our own, the worse the system gets. Think medical practitioner burn-out, more medical errors, and ever increasing medical costs. We seriously have to take responsibility for our own health care.

Randy Gillespie is with Illinois health insurance agency, Focus Insurance Group. To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com

Illinois Health Insurance - Politics in Action

We are well into the new "era" with many changes on the horizon for our Illinois health insurance system and for the economy. The real question perhaps is this: "Is it true that the more things change, the more they remain the same?"

It's difficult to tell yet whether or not the changes made to tweak the economy will pay off in a big and positive way later. Trying to revitalize something that has been struggling along and looking sickly for many years is not going to happen overnight. Furthermore, changes to the health system, also long overdue, will not necessarily make an enormous difference once they have been implemented either.

The reason for change taking time largely has to do with the nature of the systems that need to be fixed. They are huge, all encompassing, all pervasive, and have "always been there" in one form or another since – well, actually no one remembers when. Our economy and our health insurance system have grown with the nation to meet its needs, until the nation finally outstripped the abilities of the health system to keep up with it.

Over time the Illinois health insurance system became overburdened, overused, and overwhelmed. The costs started to go up to keep pace with all the people using and, yes, abusing it; there were times when the ER became the easiest answer for the common cough and cold. To a certain extent this is still the case. However, with the looming advent of medical e-health records, this may start to change.

Other changes coming as of the 1st of June 2010 will see two different closed risk pools created with the old and the new Medicare supplements. Actually, the new isn't really new; it is the old but has a new start date for those buying Illinois health insurance. Confusion will reign when this change comes into effect and those in the old pool will wonder what the differences are for those in the new pool and vice versa. In reality, there are likely not going to be many new changes.

The reason for this coming change is that it will hopefully drive down the cost of health insurance due to the competition for health insurance customers. At least in the beginning and generally speaking, closed risk pools drive the costs of premiums up.

Change is good, change is needed, but change does not happen overnight and this is something that we all need to remember when faced with frustrating new things in the Illinois health insurance system. The changes should ultimately make a difference in the long run, not just for us, but also for the next generation. While the health system may be a rather large political football, the ball is in play; we need to wait and see where it lands before we will know the final score of the game.

Randy Gillespie is with Illinois health insurance agency, Focus Insurance Group. To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com