Health Insurance by Ron J. Bommarito

A Health Insurance Specialist presents some clarity

As many of you are personally and painfully aware, health insurance rates are climbing and coverage is dropping. Employees are asked to shoulder an increasingly larger share of the cost, while employers are still paying the lion's share. Medicare does not cover prescriptions, yet seniors are pushing for legislation for the taxpayer to start paying for them. The tug and pull of these problems is not easily solved.

Although many of the issues that surround this topic are large, national ones that are beyond our ability to directly influence, I hope to bring some clarity to the subject. Health Insurance Specialist (HIS) is a licensed health insurance sales agency serving Southeastern Michigan since 1990. Ronald J. Bommarito is the agency principle. He is available by phone at 1-800-982-8282 or on the web at www.healthspecialist.com. HIS is involved in the struggle to provide the best coverage at the least cost without compromising quality. This daily involvement with individuals and employers puts HIS in the forefront of these issues. As a result, we offer timely, accurate and honest advice to mitigate these burdensome increases of the past few years. This is the third in of a series of articles designed to educate and inform.

2-3-03

Health Insurance Rates rise ----again!
by Ronald J. Bommarito

What You Can Do

Benefit changes-This is the area in which you have the most control. Benefit changes could involve moving from one plan design to another. Or, by adjusting co-payments, coinsurance percentages, deductibles and coinsurance limits, you can help tame premium increases.

Become a smart consumer-The best way for you and your employees to minimize rate increases (and reduce out-of-pocket costs) is to make smart health care decisions. Ask doctors to consider treatment options that are less costly but equally effective. Request generic medications or lower-cost alternatives instead of expensive brand-name drugs. And, above all, seek medical care from doctors and hospitals that participate in your health plan's provider network.

Utilize a competent agent to shop the market for you- Health insurance is complex and the companies selling it don't make it any easier. A skilled agent can offer alternative carriers that will provide similar benefits at a lower cost. This is not always possible, so an agent who tells you to 'just stay put' may be the best one of all… You don't want to change your coverage and be worse off, just for the sake of a small savings.

Ronald J. Bommarito is the agency principle. He is available by phone at 1-800-982-8282 or on the web at www.healthspecialist.com.

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