Do you prefer Consumer Driven Health or Traditional Health Insurance?
448633
consumer driven health, cos i don't have that much money.
342300
if you are relatively healthy and your family doctor is in the HMO, go with the HMO.  if you're a hypochondriac or want to be able to go to any specialist you want without a referral, go PPO.\n\nthe younger you are, the more applicable an HMO is to you, as long as you have a primary care physician you know and trust.  if you don't have one, then go with a PPO because you'll be able to switch doctors easily.
826384
Your link looks like a pension question, but you are using it for national health care purposes??? Would you rather ask about Social Security to make it more relevant?\n\nYou can get more information about this issue and analysis of the health-care problem from all the angles at the link below.\n\nLaissez-faire health-care economics makes no sense. Markets are good for some things, bad for much and  immoral for health-care. Markets can function efficiently if people have choices. There is no choice in your health-care requirements. If you have congestive heart failure, you can't say to yourself, "Ah, I don't need the attention of a thoracic surgeon this week, I'll put it off until next week."\nOr, "I don't have any need for cancer right now, I'll take indigestion instead."\n\nTherefore, a market solution will only distribute our health resources inefficiently and inequitably. Rich hypochondriacs get all the care they "need" while poor folks with bad hearts let their conditions deteriorate until they need the most expensive care available.\n\nOur high malpractice problems and claims are a direct result of having no national health insurance. When those poor folks who can't afford health-care finally are faced with a heart attack or some other acute episode, they head to the hospital to a doctor they've most likely never seen with no medical records to speak of. The doctors are "flying blind" trying to save the patients not knowing the full array of ailments, allergies, etc they might have.
13136
doctors and insurance firms
362003
This is good for so many reasons.First, big companies should be happy they now play a more important role in the well being of the their consumers. Second, when you have universal health care, more people visit the doctors; 1- at the onset of a problem instead of waiting until it becomes worse, 2- visit the doctor for regular check ups, and 3- visit for preventative care. These reasons make for a healthier population in general thus often negating the need for more costly an evasive procedures down the road.  When a poor person goes to the hospital now a days, its usually because they have put it off for so long because of no insurance, that they are in worse shape than they would have been in if they had gone at the first sign of trouble. Their care now costs the state and the taxpayers more, or puts that poor person in DEEP DEBT for the rest of their life.\nWe are the only modern industrialized country in the world without Universal Health care for ALL its citizens.\nA good way to measure a nations moxie is to look at the way it cares for its population. All Americans should ask themselves this:\nDo you care more for the profits of big corporations, than you do for our poor, our children or our elderly?\nHealth care should be our # 1 priority. Good for you MASS!!
841204
When you get your own insurance you can pick any doctor that is in your network. If you pick a plan that is an HMO then you have to pick one PCP (primary care physician). If you are happy with your family doctor find out what plans he/she participates in and then it all depends what insurance your job offers to see if they have a plan that he/she participates in.
1075550
Do you mean health insurance/care?
1184496
Absolutely not.  Our health care system is a mess, it's true, but I think the best way to fix it is with less government intervention, not more.  You see, as with everything else, you tend to get all the best and most expensive stuff you can when someone else is paying the bill.  Well, if the government is paying the bill, that really means the taxpayers.  It's not fair for healthy people to have their tax burden substantially raised because some others can't or won't take care of themselves.  Which leads to a related point:  If you're paying your own bill, you're more likely to take good care of yourself, so you don't end up paying more than you absolutely have to.
409578
Seriously, the best way is to go with Ameri Plan - you can get medical, dental, vision, prescription and chiropractic care at up to 80 per cent off. And it's only $49.95 per month for an individual and 59.95 for anyone in the household. (Even those unrelated to you!) This is great for small businesses. Please contact me. wlakin@ameriplan.net I'm in the business of helping people tackle the expensive cost of healthcare.
952919
No! Countries which have national health have oppressive tax bases and the systems are highly ineffective and unresponsive. I believe that we should look into to insurance and medical reform. Pricing structures should be examined. For example why should insurance companies be allowed to pay one price to doctors while people off the street must pay more. \nInsurance coverage should be made affordable for all wishing it, perhaps in the form of a government group plan which leverages large scale buying power much the same way as corporations do. \nWe should also review medical savings accounts. Contribution should be allowed to carry over from year to year allowing people to build medical nest eggs. Currently the plan allows tax free contributions, but they are lost if not used in a particular calendar year.\n\nThere are many things we can do to help make Health Care more affordable and available to all in this country, but creating what would be the largest entitlement in American history is not the answer.
531434
Pancakes... ah how nice it is to be upper middle class, but maybe you should turn off the TV all together and visit some of our poor communities.... only the rich come here to get health care... the poor in the country can't afford it... just because they aren't the brightest, doesn't mean they shouldn't get health care...\n\nsimple answer to your question is greed... the sin of greed is very acceptable to our "moral conservatives," in fact it's encouraged...
912551
Americans are ridiculous about socialised medicine. Instead of putting government money towards a working plan that grants all Americans equal opportunity to be healthy, they shove it all into a big stupid war. In Canada, we are a capitalist country with a socialised medical plan that works well. Studies have actually demonstrated that Canadian medicare is overall more efficient and of a higher quality than American privatised health care. And doctors can manage to pay it off, because in Canada university education sin't as expensive either! i would know, as both my parents are doctors.\n\nEDITED TO ADD: Canada is also a large contributer to medical research. This is usually paid for by research centres and universities and has little to do with the socialized healthcare system.
767563
This is an excellent question! \n\n In America people are purchasing "Short Term" Policies are opening themselves up to a "world of problems".   You see in the United States we passed a law that enables employees be offered "Cobra" , Cobra is for your "protection".  Let me give you a couple of "What ifs"\na. I go work for ABC Corp. and call up a few "slick" agents who sell healthcare and they sell me a Short Term policy, sounds great!..11months into the policy the Doctor discovers a tumor in my body, and says it is Malignant- I have cancer.  So I call my short term company, and they say well your policy ends in 30days, I ask the company can I convert to a Permanente policy, and they say "NO", because of your medical conditions.\nb. Second Ex. I sign up with my employers plan, and I am diagnosed 11months into the plan with Cancer, and I decide to quite employment, I am offered Cobra!. So lets keep going, lets say I pay for Cobra for 18months (until it ends) and I am still having Chemotherapy, and thus un-insurable by health companies.  Here is the Good news!!!..I am eligible for HIPPA coverage !!!.."lifesaver"..any company offering health insurance will have to accept me into a HIPPA plan.  \n\nAs you can see the only way a person can take a risk with a short term policy if they can "See the future".. and if your crystal ball shows you not needing any health services over your lifetime, then just refuse coverage!..\n\nDo not trust any salesperson, read articles and do your research, Paul Zane's books are pretty good.
779803
I think it's about as good as most of the other ones out there.  It seems to be universally accepted by most providers, which is the big reason I am glad we have it.  \n We pay the same co-pays and deductibles we had with Aetna, but with Aetna we didnt' have a good choice in local providers, so I definitely like BC/BS better.  \n\n We pay $20 for primary care visits and $30 for specialists.  The deductible is $250 for any specialists such as mental health.  It is about the same monthly payment as most insurances are.  We have the family plan.  It comes out of my husband's pay.
746171
Some people want a company that gives you access to whomever you wish to see; some people want a health plan that has the happiest customers; other people want the least expensive; others just want a health insurance company that pays on time. The best way is to ask the people close to you how they like their health plan.\n\nWhat kind of health insurance are you looking for? It might be a good idea to jot down a list of the different aspects of a health plan and then chart the differences between various plans you come across. Here’s an example:\n\n•Monthly price (premium)\n•Yearly deductible (amount you spend before the insurance company will start paying)\n•Copay amount (amount you pay per service)\n•Coinsurance amount (amount you split with the insurance company – usually a percentage; i.e., you pay 20 percent and the insurer pays 80 percent)\n•Freedom of choice (can you visit whatever doctor you want; what are the steps to getting referred to a specialist or for a medical procedure?)\n•Preventive medicine and routine doctor visits (does the plan include these?)\n•Mental health (included in the plan; copay amounts; maximum number of annual visits).\n\nI’d check out Consumer Reports (link below), US News & World Reports Best Health Plans, and whatever other informational resources you can find. I’d also talk with locally licensed health insurance agents. I’ve also included a couple of articles about choosing a health plan that might be useful. They are government-authored, but they’re actually pretty good (all links below). \n\nI’ve also linked to a California Insurance Department page that has a checklist you can use as you are comparing various plans.\n\nAfter you decide what kind of plan you’re interested in, check out MostChoice.com. You can quickly compare plans and speak to MI health insurance agents with no obligation.\n\nYou can find MostChoice here: http://www.mostchoice.com/health-insurance.cfm\n\nHope this helps,\nBarnes@MostChoice
978443
Traditional health care tends to treat the problem or symptom...not the cause. For example, if you are vomiting, you typically get prescribed something for the vomiting...not what is causing it. Maybe you are stressed and it is affecting your digestive system. The vomiting medication is treating the symptom...not the cause. \n\nTraditional doctors are quick to prescribe a pill, but not so quick to provide lifestyle advice. Of course, that is also the fault of the patient. Westerners have come to expect a pill to cure everything. We almost feel cheated if we don't walk out of the doctor's office without at least one or two prescriptions.\n\nOf course, when it comes to trauma or other types of major surgery, traditional medicine is the best.\n\nMany alternative therapies take a more "whole person" approach. They look at different aspects of your life that affect your health and make changes at that level.\n\nOne plus for traditional health care is that interventions have been intensively studied and refined. Unfortunately, traditional physicians are given very little training in alternative therapies and what is worse, they can even be sanctioned for recommending alternative therapies.\n\nA big negative is that traditional health care has become way too influenced by pharmacies. Another big negative is managed care. It breaks down health care into numbers. For instance, there are specific number of days you are supposed to be in the hospital for each ailment. Patient care has become very dehumanized.\n\nThe problem with discussing alternative therapies is that there are so many that fall under that general category. Some are very effective and some are sham. Therefore, you have to evaluate each one separately. Because research on these therapies is limited, you often have to go with your gut, so to speak.
1150964
The best place to start is by doing what you’re doing now – asking for personal recommendations. What kind of health insurance are you looking for? It might be a good idea to jot down a list of the different aspects of a health plan and then chart the differences between various plans you come across. Here’s an example:\n\n·Monthly price (premium)\n·Yearly deductible (amount you spend before the insurance company will start paying)\n·Copay amount (amount you pay per service)\n·Coinsurance amount (amount you split with the insurance company – usually a percentage; i.e., you pay 20 percent and the insurer pays 80 percent)\n·Freedom of choice (can you visit whatever doctor you want?)\n·Preventive medicine and routine doctor visits (does the plan include these?)\n·Mental health (included in the plan; copay amounts; maximum number of annual visits).\n\nHMOs (health maintenance organizations) are popular right now, and they usually include mental health coverage in their plans. A typical example is that you would pay a monthly fee and then a copay when you visit your therapist (usually around $50 for a plan with low monthly payments). One potential problem, though, is access to physicians. An HMO might not have the kind of mental health specialist you’re looking for. Before you enroll in an HMO, I would strongly urge you to look at their mental health specialist roster. For more choices, you might opt for a PPO (preferred provider organization) or a traditional fee-for-service plan.\n\nOne helpful Web site is needymeds.com (see link below). It is a catalogue of Web sites devoted to discounted drugs and medical programs.\n\nThe best way to find answers to your questions, though, is by talking with local insurance agents. Just tell them what you’re looking for and how much you want to pay, and then wait until one of them brings back a policy that’s right for you. You won’t spend any more on a plan from an agent than if you bought the same plan online. MostChoice.com is a Web site with state-licensed agents throughout the country. When you visit the site, you fill out a short information request form. You’ll get free quotes and policy information on health plans near you, and within two days agents should contact you. There’s no cost and you’re not expected to buy a policy from the agents. Also, MostChoice will use your personal information only to help you find the health plan you’re looking for.\n\nYou can visit MostChoice here: http://www.mostchoice.com/health-insurance.cfm\n\nGood luck. I hope this helps,\n\nBarnes @ MostChoice.