Recently there has been a proliferation of advertising of health cards. These cards are entitled to access to quality and affordable medical care, dental care, medications, vision and other health care facilities to offer. The prices vary, but as little as $ 20 per month to as high as $ 125 per month for a family. The two most important markets for these plans is that they are affordable and you can not be rejected.
Exactly what you buy? Health-medical discount cards can also be accessed programs or plans. This industry has grown so large that they even have their own trade association, the Alliance of consumer health. The definition of a health card by the Alliance of health given to the consumer. “Buy Our member companies manufacture products for the healthcare and services, including prescription drugs, dental, chiropractic, eye care, doctors, hospitals and laboratories available to millions of Americans, providing opportunities for consumers to services directly from health care and discounted products. “According to the Consumer Health Alliance more than 28 million consumers that have purchased plans for various companies.
The problem lies not in the concept of the programs, but in the sale and delivery. The most important, you should know about these health cards is that they do not have health insurance. Many consumers do not understand what they are buying and therefore were with hundreds or even thousands of dollars in medical costs, which they assumed would be covered by their health card face.
The plans announced that they are connected with networks of medical providers. This is usually true. Affiliation perhaps even with some of the national networks to use their own insurance. The representative of the plan have said that if you use the services of a network operator, you get a discount on the service reductions similar to the insurance companies to negotiate when suppliers have to connect their networks.
One company, for example, give you an example. If you see a network provider, the normal stress be a physician office visit $ 120. But with your health card rebate, you will save only $ calculated 90 to $ 30 each time you visit the doctor, on the surface that may sound good, but do not forget to pay the consumer and the consumer has visited vendors $ 90 every time he the doctor.
What happens when we are dealing with a hospital, rather than consult a doctor. You will find that you need a hip replacement. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the average cost for a hip replacement in 2006 was $ 42 000 You see a doctor, which is used in the network of your $ 29.95 per month health insurance card. You expect to get a significant discount on the procedure because it uses a network provider. Note that you visit your doctor. You have to pay a rebate of $ 25% and the doctor had only $ 90 to $ 120 bill.
But now you have a hospital bill for your hip for $ 42 000 There is also reduced to 25%. This means that you need the hospital $ 31,500. And you have to pay. It is better than $ 42,000, because, of course, but $ 31,500 is still a lot of money the consumer has to pay. Unfortunately, concentration of companies that sell these cards, your attention to the little services. But if consumers are smart, they will be on large items to focus the real danger is not with the health insurance.
For some people who do not meet is not for health insurance, discount cards may be the only option. Individual health insurance is generally medically accepted, which means that if a person has a medical condition that the insurance will not ensure they will not get on health insurance. Most states have plans to create the so-called swimming pool, people with medical conditions, but as you can imagine, these plans are very expensive.
The real danger of these cards are the aggressive methods used to sell them. Many of these plans are actually sold as a multi-level marketing plan. Foreign Service employees must not licensed insurance agents, because the plans are not insurance. It is in the interest of adding people, their downline, as it is to earn money. Learning programs and advises consumers to carefully what they do not buy the most important thing with these sales representatives.
If you want to buy a health plan, be careful and ask questions. Understand first and foremost, you need to complete any insurance. Be wary of extravagant promises discounts of up to 60%. Hip, in our example for instance, would mean a discount of 60%, the service costs $ 16 800 It is unlikely that a hospital-provider would give you this kind of discount. Looking for clarity on the hospitals, doctors and procedures. Ask yourself if all suppliers of honor advertised discounts. Sometimes doctors and other providers are not aware that they are listed as participants in these plans.
Find out about hidden costs. Often there are maintenance costs hidden in small print. Be especially careful when fees are available for any use of the card. These fees can eat almost all of your rebate.
Discount health cards are never a substitute for health insurance. Before you consider buying one, consider how you use it. If your need is for cheaper services such as routine doctor visits, dental and vision discounts, they can be worth it. Remember, if you’re a costly process, such as hospitalization or surgery need, you pay the most of themselves before. No matter what the representative tells you or implying the ads, your card will never pay a dime to the suppliers. The consumer is still liable for the amount of load, less discounts, which could be applied.
Think you pay on your needs and your family. If you can afford to buy health insurance. Even with such a high deductible HSA plan as a better option will be because at some point to meet the deductible, the insurance company to pay the balance of the invoice. If you can not afford insurance or can not you qualify because of medical problems, a health card can be useful. But before buying, understand what it is and what it actually do for you.
