Insurance Terminology
You probably already know that you can research and buy health insurance online, but what you may not know is that there are resources to help you understand the complicated mind boggling health insurance industry terms. Finding health insurance resources to help you better understand the world of health insurance can be very beneficial. Many insurance product portals include excellent glossaries. One such resource is Healthinsurance.org, which claims to have been providing answers to health insurance-related questions since 1994. You can also find help deciphering health insurance terminology at the Federal Consumer Information Center's Web site.
Insurance Resources by State
Insurance laws vary from state to state. To find information on insurance regulations in your state, the first place to check is with your state's insurance commission. Just about all states have a Web site from which the state's insurance regulations are downloadable. If you have questions about what you are reading, you should also be able to find a contact telephone number on the Web site to call for help. Another helpful site you may wish to check into is HealthInsuranceInfo.net. The Web site is funded by grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AARP, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, and other reputable nonprofit groups. From the site you can download a copy of Georgetown University Health Policy Institute's Consumer Guide for Getting and Keeping Health Insurance. There are 51 versions, each tailored to each state plus the District of Columbia. The guides are summaries, so you may still need to contact your state insurance commission for some questions.
Small Business Resources
The United States Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has an entire section on its Web site dedicated to health insurance benefits education for small business owners. The site includes information on compliance issues for small business employers, a F.A.Q., and tips on how to protect your employees when choosing a group health insurance plan. You can Contact your regional EBSA office through its toll-free number at 866-444-3272 or by visiting AskEBSA.dol.gov.
Life and Health Insurance Foundation For Education
Finding health insurance resources that are reliable is not hard. The Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education (LIFE), formed in 1994, is a nonprofit organization devoted to educating consumers about life, health, disability, and long-term health insurance. LIFE represents 160,000 insurance agents and disseminates educational information to insurance consumers. You can read online health insurance information on choosing the right plan for your needs and download a printable consumer guide from LIFE's Web site. There is also a thorough glossary of terms you need to understand when shopping for health insurance online or offline.
Resources to Pick a Quality Health Plan
If you are you thinking about buying health insurance online, be careful that you understand exactly what you are paying for your money before investing in anything. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, is a treasure trove of online health insurance information. The consumer and patient section of AHRQ includes guides not only on health insurance choices and how to pick a quality health insurance plan, but also includes articles on everything from prevention and wellness to prescriptions and specific medical conditions. To start your education, visit AHRQ.gov.
Insurance for Children
If you are one of the millions of working parents who cannot afford to buy health insurance for your children, finding health insurance resources that you can trust can be difficult. You should check out InsureKidsNow.gov. InsureKidsNow.gov, one of a number of online health insurance solutions sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, is a campaign to spread the word about low-cost child health insurance options available to the estimated 10 million uninsured children throughout the United States. The site, which includes a question and answer section, has links to low-cost insurance programs for kids in all 50 states. If you prefer, you can call InsureKidsNow.com at 1-877-KIDS-NOW (1-877-543-7669).