Determine Your Needs
The Catastrophic Event
First and foremost everyone absolutely needs to be covered for the big hit that could wipe you out financially. With ever escalating costs associated with medical care, especially critical care, you would be negligent not to evaluate these two criteria while assessing your personal needs
Policy Maximums
All true insurance plans have them. The plan maximum refers to the most an insurance plan will pay in total, no matter what the circumstances are. Some plans have individual lifetime maximums, some have family lifetime maximums and some have annual maximums for either the family or individual.
In the present state of health insurance's escalating costs you should be looking for a plan that has the highest maximums that you can find. It is our strong recommendation that you cover your family with at least $2,000,000-$5,000,000 per person. 2 million per person is will go a long way towards ensuring that you and your family are protected now and for years to come. I have plan designs that give you the coverage that you need for the catastrophic event plus other up front benefits.
Maximum Out Of Pocket/Stop Loss
The "Max Out Of Pocket" referrs to the most that you will pay in deductibles and coinsurance in any given year. No matter how large your medical bills are (up to plan maximums, of course). If you are in or looking at a plan that does not have the "Max Out Of Pocket"and "Coinsurance Stop Loss" stated clearly and understandably in writing, you are asking for trouble. When we design a plan for you, your "Max Out Of Pocket" and "Coinsurance Stop Loss" will not only be clearly stated, you will have a say in what the amount of it is.
What point are you at in YOUR life?
Every individual and family has different needs. Some have a house full of children, others don't. Some people travel quite a bit, others stay close to home. There are an infinate number of situations and you need to evaluate yours if you are to make a decision that is proper for you. You should also consider your lifestyle while shopping for health plans.
Please also consider your personal medical history as well as that of your family, including any hereditary issues. Please ask yourself the following questions:
--What am I hoping to achieve with my health plan?
--How do I plan to use my coverage?
--How long do I need this plan?
--How much am I willing to cover myself?
--Are there conditions in my family history that I NEED to be covered for?
--These are but a few of the areas that will be discussed during your plan design.
Where do you spend your time?
If you are like most of us the answer is at work. I do design plans that cover you on the job. But the question goes deeper than that.
--Do you travel?
--Do you spend periods of the year is another part of the country?
--Are you spending time in outdoor activities or sports?
Again, these are just some of the things that you should be considering and areas that will be discussed during your plan design.
What can you afford?
Designing a plan that you can't afford will not do anyone any good. On the other hand hiding behind the fear of a large monthly payment is not the answer either.
I carry a variety of options to get you the most coverage for your budget. Additionally, during the design process I do what is called "Field Underwriting" so we can discuss your pre existing conditions and see how they fit into the quote. This process will give you an accurate picture of what your desired coverage will actually cost. Or I will let you know upfront if you even qualify for the plan you are considering and suggest other options if necessary.
***If you would like a personal interview with me and discuss your options and perhaps design a plan please
contact me I am happy to help.