What are Discount Health Plans?
As anyone who has had to pay for health insurance directly can tell you, the cost of insuring a family of 4 has risen tremendously over the past few decades. Many small and medium sized companies can no longer continue to provide their employees with expensive major medical policies. Increasingly, companies are asking employees to share more of the burden of health insurance, and some businesses are terminating their health insurance altogether. Other companies do not take on full time workers so that they can save the cost of providing health benefits.
If your company does not provide health insurance, most likely you will either have to purchase an expensive major medical policy yourself or do without. Because of the high cost, many families choose to go without these important benefits. The cost of health insurance can take a big bite out of a middle income family’s budget. Often the cost of health insurance will equal a rent payment. Even if you can afford the high price of health insurance, if you suffer from even very treatable chronic illnesses like asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease, you can be refused coverage. I have even spoken to people who have been turned down for excess weight and prescription drug use. It seems like the big insurance companies are looking for reasons not to insure people, so those individuals who need it most may find themselves without any coverage.
Fortunately, discount health plans offer families a way to save money on their health care costs. But what are discount health plans and how can they be used to help families and businesses?
Discount health plans can be used as stand alone health programs for those individuals or families that lack dental or health insurance. These discount programs provide needed savings on all medical and dental services. Consumers can even save money on medical costs not normally covered by traditional insurance such as cosmetic surgery, cosmetic dentistry, Lasik eye surgery, and even alternative medicine.
Businesses can save money by purchasing a high deductible health savings account or a catastrophic plan. A discount medical plan is purchased along with the high deductible plan to provide supplemental benefits. These supplemental benefits provide savings on routine health expenditures while the catastrophic insurance provides a safety net for lengthy hospitalizations and complex care. Companies can save money on their health insurance while providing their valued employees with the security that they need.
The most popular discount health plan is probably the discount dental plan . Seven out of ten Americans do not have a dental plan. Among the 30% that do have dental insurance, most are underinsured. Many dental plans do not provide treatment for ongoing conditions, have expenditure limits, waiting periods, and often don’t provide for even necessary procedures such as orthodontic treatment. Cosmetic dentistry and implants are not covered.
Discount dental plans provide the consumer with an excellent choice for saving money on dental care. These affordable dental plans are reasonably priced alternatives to expensive dental insurance plans. Savings can range from 25% for specialist treatment to 80% for exams. Most major dental procedures such as root canals, fillings, crowns and bridges, dentures, and orthodontic treatment offer savings from 50% to 60%--literally cutting a family’s dental bill in half. In addition, patients with ongoing conditions can qualify for these plans, and there are no limits on visits or services. Often these affordable dental plans offer value added services such as discounts on vision care, prescriptions, and chiropractic treatment.
Many discount health programs also offer a basic health plan which provides for savings on medical examinations and procedures. Ancillary services such as laboratory tests, imaging studies (MRIs, CAT scans), physical therapy, diabetic supplies, hearing aids, and mental health services are also provided. A 24/7 nurse line and wellness programs may also be included in a good discount medical program. Should hospitalization become necessary, the patient will be assigned an advocate who will negotiate the hospital bill and work out a payment plan. Hospital bills have been drastically reduced through these advocacy programs. One company, AmeriPlan® USA, has even added a prescription advocacy program . This program takes advantage of patient assistance programs run by pharmaceutical companies. Eligible individuals with over $90 per month of prescription expenses, who meet income requirements, may be able to receive all or most of their medications for just the cost of a small monthly service fee.
Another popular plan is the combined medical and dental discount plan. At AmeriPlan® USA we call it Total Health . This plan combines all of the features of our dental, vision, prescription, and chiropractic program with discounts on physician visits, ancillary services, hospital advocacy, and a 24/7 nurse line.
When looking for a discount health plan , here are some things to consider. Look for a company that is a member of both the Consumer Health Alliance and the National Association of Dental Plans. These two organizations set strict standards for discount dental and medical programs, and are your assurance of the company’s integrity and reputation. Also look for a plan that offers a good choice of dentists, doctors, and other healthcare providers in your area. The company should also provide an 800 customer service number.
Helene Zemel , M.B.A. is a Regional Sales Director for AmeriPlan® USA. For more information visit: http://www.healthplansplus.net . For a discussion on healthcare issues and alternative medicine choices visit her blog at: http://www.healthplansplus.blogspot.com .
