The two of course are completely different. Medical insurance coverage provides the assurance that agreed treatments and procedures will be covered as long as a monthly premium is kept in good standing. In the event of a health care emergency, medical insurance companies will cover the full bill if the expense met with the terms and conditions of the insurance agreement.

Discounted medical plans on the other hand do not offer to cover any expenses. Instead, the company takes a fee in exchange for granting access to a list of pre-approved doctors, other health care providers and drug companies that have agreed to offer discounts to plan members.

The difference here is critical and could mean the difference between getting the necessary treatment or not.

This is why state officials in California have joined the ranks of those who went before them in Massachusetts last September, to fight those companies who are ambiguous or even purposefully misleading consumers regarding the health care product they are offering for sale.

So far over 150 complaints have been filed against unlicensed discount health and dental plans in California over the past four years.

The frightening reality is that these unscrupulous companies target the most vulnerable group of people. Those who are struggling to find ways to cover all the bases tend to fall for the hope of purchasing health care coverage at lower rates, so they readily believe when the medical plans are sold as insurance policies, only to face the ugly truth in times of crisis when it matters the most.

Companies that sell legitimate discount medical plans though take umbrage with the allegation that all of these plans are akin to scams. They argue that medical discount plans provide relief from expensive health care costs for a vast number of people and they should not be pushed aside as irrelevant.

One thing is for sure the battle for fair practices in the health care industry has only just begun. But the state’s hands-on interest in consumer rights within the health care industry will lead to a better informed public and an increase in the awareness of available products and services.

Consumers Warned About Discount Medical Plans was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

Even before a law is passed, Republican voices are calling for repeal. There are several bones of contention, each likely to spur more argument than agreement. Opponents of health care reform are still fighting against the same issues they’ve been against all along. If the Republican contingent gets their way and prevents the reform bill from being passed (or repealed if it does pass) insurance companies will still be able to deny coverage to anyone with a pre-existing condition like diabetes or asthma. In addition, this group of conservatives are contesting the idea of removing lifetime caps for insurance coverage.

The opponents of the reform are against the idea of free preventative medicine being made available to everyone and allowing tax credits for working individuals and families as well as small businesses. One provision of health care  Republicans are not just opposing, but are questioning whether or not it is even constitutional, is the idea that every American would be mandated to have health care coverage or face a fine.

Many of those in favor of reform believe that 46 million Americans without health coverage is reason enough to vote for reform. However, there is no question that many of the reforms being called for would be extremely expensive. But the Congressional Budget Office is projecting that under the current bill proposed by the Senate, everyone who is covered by insurance through their employer would continue to pay about the same amount they are paying now. Those people who pay for their own insurance, however, would probably wind up paying more for premiums, although they would be receiving better coverage than they currently receive.

The idea of a public health care coverage option seems to be out of the picture, at least for now. However, Democrats are still in favor of a marketplace or exchange option which would give people the ability to compare costs and hopefully find more affordable choices in private health care.

Health Care Reform Debate Continues was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

Cobra Subsidies- Since 1986 employees who are laid off have had the option to continue health insurance coverage through COBRA benefits. Up until recently many employees have not been able to take advantage of this benefit due to the fact that while insurance remained available the entire burden of paying the full premium landed squarely in the hands of the employee. This has recently changed due to a subsidy in the economic stimulus package which allows employees who have been laid off between September 2008 and December 2009 to pay 35 percent of the premium to their former employers. Undoubtedly this change has made health care coverage more of a reality for families experiencing a financial hardship.

Private Policies- Due to the increase in self employed and freelance workers, there are more options available for individuals or families seeking health care all on their own. If you will be seeking your own insurance plan and currently have coverage through COBRA, it is important to begin your search for the right policy well in advance of the date your current coverage ends. This is to avoid loss of coverage between the time the new policy takes effect and the older policy expires. When looking for your own insurance plan, allow yourself plenty of time for research and comparison shopping. Health insurance is one of the things in life where finding the lowest price is not always the same as finding the best deal. Carefully compare coverage, out-of-pocket expenses and deductibles to determine which plan is right for you. Don’t know where to start? Consider using the Internet to compare quotes from many different policies, be advised however the prices are general quotes and your premium may change based on your medical history and needs.

Sign Up On Spouse’s Plan- Most insurance plans have an open enrollment period where changes can be made to the policy. If you have lost your job and your coverage you qualify for a special circumstance that allows changes to be made. By adding yourself to your spouse’s insurance plan you guarantee there are no lapse in coverage.

Health Insurance Assistance Programs- If you have exhausted other means of securing insurance while you are in between jobs and simply cannot afford to pay for coverage, you may be eligible for government assistance. Federal, state and local governments offer health insurance coverage to qualifying individuals and families who cannot otherwise afford to pay for coverage. Do not allow your pride to prevent you from contacting these agencies for help if you are experiencing a financial hardship. Things may seem difficult now but you will get back on your feet again. In the meantime having adequate health care coverage for yourself and your children is necessary to ensure you are physically and financially able to recover from your job loss. Remember we all need help at some point in our lives and accepting help from a government program designed to assist citizens in their time should cause you no shame.

Remember health care insurance is one of the things we pay for and hope to never use. Losing your job can be devastating financially; imagine how difficult recovery will be if you experience a medical emergency without health care coverage. For this reason securing health care insurance should remain a top priority while you are in between jobs.

4 Ways To Keep Your Health Insurance Between Jobs was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

The public option has referred to several different specific ideas, but in general terms, has been related to the idea of the federal government picking up the tab for health insurance for Americans who cannot afford to pay premiums for private insurance. Some of the sticking points in the discussion have included whether the government is mandated to provide health care coverage to everyone and whether that coverage should extend to only legal citizens of the US or the untold numbers of illegal aliens who also live in the country.

The debate over health care coverage has stirred up everyday citizens across the country as well as members of Congress on both sides of the political arena. While party lines were certainly visible in the debate, not all Democrats are fully behind the President’s suggestions. In typical fashion, however, the man in the White House has voiced his thoughts and urged Congress to hammer out the answer- and he wants that answer ASAP.

The current plan being proposed by Democrats is being slammed as too expensive by most Republicans, who are trying to remove a proposal to expand Medicare benefits to Americans as young as 55 years old. Most Republicans are also determined to remove the public option of the bill, which has some Democrats in an uproar. Howard Dean, former Democratic presidential candidate from Vermont was extremely verbal in his opposition to to the proposed Senate bill saying it amounted to an insurance company bailout by requiring most Americans to carry insurance and also allowing private insurance companies the right to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions, while also charging older Americans more money for their coverage.

So where does the health care coverage debate stand now? It appears the public option is definitely out and the idea of expanding Medicare is facing the chopping block as well. As Christmas looms right around the corner, it seems unlikely that unofficial deadline will not be made. In other words, the promise and prediction of sweeping health care reform in America is still a promise, with little clarity on what the actual reality will look like in the end, whenever that comes.

Health Care Bill Proposal Drops Public Option and Looks to Avoid Medicare Expansion was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

There you are… you have no health insurance and you have a medical condition, or maybe even multiple medical conditions that are preventing you from getting a major medical plan.

Then, from out of the woodwork pops the smiley faced guy who says that you CAN have quality health insurance, and for an astonishingly low price – but you have to act now! He is the only one offering this plan in your area and he’s leaving tonight.

So you write the check, and several weeks later, discover that you’ve bought a discount card and that no providers in your area honor it.

You’ve been had! So here’s some information and tips to help you:
All Guaranteed Issue Plans from private insurers are either discount cards, or defined Benefit Plans.

A Defined Benefit Plan is a policy which pays a stated amount for services, such as hospital stays, doctor visits, surgery, and diagnostic tests. Regardless of the actual charge made by the provider, these plans will only pay what is listed in the schedule of benefits. For instance, a plan may pay $100 for a CAT Scan, but the actual charge may be $500. You will be responsible for the difference ($400). A plan may pay $500 per day if you’re in the hospital, but the actual charges may be $1,500 per day. You will be responsible for the difference ($1000 per day).

In addition, if the reason for the test or hospital stay has to due with a pre-existing condition, the plan won’t pay at all until you’ve been continuously insured by them for at least a year. If the plan is HIPPA compliant, and if you had credible coverage for at least the past year, the plan will pay immediately (you have to submit a letter from your previous carrier).

Also, be aware that with most of these plans, you will have to submit the bills to the insurer. The paperwork is yours to handle as in the majority of cases, the provider will not recognize your card and will not submit paperwork on your behalf.

If the plan does not provide adequate benefits, you will be left with significant bills, plus you will have been paying monthly premiums for the coverage.

The question is, can you handle the charges left unpaid by your plan? If you can’t, why pay premiums for a plan that will leave you in financial distress anyway?

To add insult to injury, some employers will offer inadequate plans to their employees, and the employees will sign up for them based upon the employer’s recommendation. If you have to pay for a plan, you can refuse to participate. If your employer is paying for the plan, take it, it’s free, but understand that the employer may not give raises in pay due to the cost of the insurance he’s paying for, whether the plan is good or not.

Discount Cards for provider services are generally a very poor bet, I live in a highly populated area and know of no doctors or hospitals that accept them. Before purchasing a discount card program, call around to your local doctors and hospitals to see whether or not they accept them, and what sort of discounts they actually offer.

Beware the Insurance Sales Pitch! was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

Hurricanes, natural disasters, accidents, illnesses, airline strikes or bankruptcies are just a few items that can wreck havoc on people’s vacation plans and trip investments. ”There are as many options for travel insurance as there are scenarios – from life-threatening, to simply annoying – that can arise unexpectedly when people travel,” Squaremouth.com CEO Chris Harvey explains. So how can consumers be sure they’ve found the right policy for them?

In attempt to provide some clarity to travel insurance questions, Squaremouth.com, a leading travel insurance comparison site, released today its comprehensive set of answers to customers’ most pressing questions including a few that follow:

What are the main kinds of travel insurance? Medical policies cover illness, accidents and emergency evacuation. They may be sold separately, or wrapped into so-called “comprehensive” packages. At a minimum, comprehensive packages consist of “trip cancellation” and “trip delay” protection in circumstances ranging from poor weather or airport delays, to deficient aircraft; “trip interruption” benefits for vacations cut short because of a family emergency; and usually some baggage coverage.

Should I buy a ‘medical evacuation’ plan in addition to standard trip insurance?
A medical evacuation plan is designed to return the consumer home quickly after they’ve been hospitalized in a foreign country. This insurance typically doesn’t cover medical treatment they may need before the evacuation. Most standard travel insurance covers evacuations as well, but the insurance company and local physician are the ones deciding whether to bring them home; Medical evacuation plans, in contrast, allow travelers more control over that decision. Squaremouth considers standard plans’ evacuation coverage to be excellent, so unless the buyers want more control over the decision to evacuate there’s no need to buy additional medical evacuation cover.

Can I buy travel insurance without a ‘trip cancellation’ benefit?
Yes, a traveler can choose a plan that excludes cancellation coverage but still offers a full range of benefits, including coverage for trip delay, a medical emergency, medical evacuation, lost or delayed baggage, etc. Some plans allow the customer to enter a $0 trip cost, which will provide all the benefits of a comprehensive plan excluding trip cancellation and trip interruption. Another option to consider is a Post Departure Plan, which offers all comprehensive benefits including trip interruption, but excludes trip cancellation coverage.

Is there a money back guarantee?
Money back guarantees let travelers decide if the travel insurance policy they purchased is right for them. Their guarantee, called a “free look period,” in industry lingo, can last for up to 15 days depending on the insurance company, although it may expire sooner if they make a claim or reach your departure date before the period has ended. Most companies will refund the full amount minus an administrative fee of around $6 to $8 per policy.

When’s the best time to buy?
The best time to buy travel insurance is usually within 14 to 21 days of putting down the initial deposit on a trip. It means travelers’ typically qualify for coverage of any pre-existing medical conditions – though a few carriers provide such coverage up to the day before their last payment. If they need a “cancel for any reason” benefit, they will be required to buy this within 14 days of their deposit. But if a customer does not need either of these types of benefit, or they are buying medical coverage only, there’s no deadline to meet: travelers can buy insurance up until the day they leave.

Can I buy insurance to cover less than the cost of my trip?
Some plans require a traveler to insure the full pre-paid, non-refundable cost of a trip to be eligible for certain benefits, such as for pre-existing conditions. Others allow them to insure an amount less than your trip cost; however, any claim would be limited to the amount they have insured.

Can I insure trips paid for using frequent flier miles?
Frequent flier miles aren’t covered by travel insurance. If a consumer cancels a trip, they will only be reimbursed the money they actually lost. However, some policies will reimburse the cost of an airline-imposed change or reissue fee, if their trip was canceled by their travel supplier; plus fees to re-bank frequent flier miles up to the amount they entered as their trip cost.

Can I cancel for any reason and get my money back?
Standard trip cancellation insurance refunds the pre-paid, non-refundable costs of canceling a trip for one of the reasons covered by a customer’s policy, which generally are: sudden medical emergencies; airline, cruise line or tour operator bankruptcy; severe weather; terrorist attacks; or jury duty. A traveler can add ‘Cancel for any reason’ insurance as an option on many policies to help refund much of the value of a trip. This policy must be purchased within 14 days of putting down the initial deposit on a trip, and the traveler has to insure the trip’s full value. And to be able to make a claim, the customer must cancel a trip at least two days prior to their intended departure.

The ease of Squaremouth’s presentation of available travel insurance products aids in helping eliminate some of the confusion when seeing which options exist. Squaremouth displays policies in a format that allows for side-by-side comparison, similar to some airline ticketing sites such as Orbitz or CheapTickets.com.

It is easy for Squaremouth customers to sort policies by price, benefit or carrier, and instantly buy their choice of coverage. 

Still have questions? Don’t worry, Squaremouth’s team of licensed insurance experts is available to answer any questions via phone or email. Visit http://www.squaremouth.com/pages/travel-insurance-advice.php. To read up on this industry’s lingo, visit the Travel Insurance Glossary (fun beachside reading).

Confused about Travel Insurance? Here are some Questions & Answers was created by and is property of American Consumer News.