articel insurance

You undoubtedly already know what medical insurance aka health insurance is, but do you know how it got started? Well, accident insurance was the precursor for modern medical insurance way back in the 19th century. It was similar to what we now call disability insurance and continued to be the only option for consumers until insurance coverage for illnesses was introduced around 1890. Until then, of course, medical bills were all paid out-of-pocket. Disability insurance didn’t totally evolve into medical insurance until late in the 20th century and coverage for hospitals and expenses came a short time later. Modern-day HMO’s were introduced in 1929.

The entire health insurance issue was probably simpler back then because it certainly has become complicated as the years have gone by. Between premiums, co-pays, co-insurance, deductibles, coverage limits, exclusions, capitations, and now the murky Obamacare debate, health and medical insurance has indeed become a battleground.

Now, there’s a new dirty word on the medical insurance battlefield and it is called “rationing”. The concept involves high-priced treatments, such as for cancer, which could cause a rise in insurance rates for everybody. There has been a great deal of in-fighting going on about this controversial terminology, one that the president has actually been urging everyone not to use. This could be due to the fact that this particular insurance term helped to sink an attempt by Clinton to bring about health insurance reform recently amid some fairly hostile reactions.

Inflammatory articles regarding rationing have been popping up everywhere from the Wall Street Journal to the New York Times. One of the issues that is the basis of those arguments is whether an expensive treatment should be capped based upon its efficacy in number of months or years of life it could provide. In other words, should we all pay higher premiums so that a terminal cancer patient can receive a pricey treatment that could add six months to his or her life? Would it be different for a younger patient as opposed to an older patient? For a man rather than a woman? Would the cap be higher or lower based upon the amount of time added and the quality of life that could be expected? And, then again, who ultimately gets to decide?

As the tension mounts and the question still goes unanswered, we all seem to struggle to just understand our own insurance coverage, whether it is private, Medicare, Medicaid, or whatever. Yes, it would definitely appear that the entire medical insurance issue was much easier to understand during that simpler time when it first began. 

Comparing Health Insurance Companies Online

The economy has forced everyone to seek cheaper means to survive and pay less bills, this includes the health insurance premiums. It’s thus important to know how to compare health insurance companies online so that you can save money.

First start by understanding the cost difference between different types of policies. Try out a third-party quote tool. They will help you compare multiple insurance companies side by side. You will save your money and time.

You should then compare plans. Most people consider an indemnity plan simply because it is flexible. However, this is the most expensive plan whether you choose a higher deductible or not. Consider all your options before hand and the costs associated with each plan. Pick one that you can afford.

Finally, before signing any contract, make sure you research on each company. Avoid companies that offer the best financial options but have terrible reputation when it comes to settling claims. Instead, you can pay a little more for a company with an excellent reputation. 

Choosing The Right Health Insurance Plan

Getting sick is inevitable and that’s why you have to be prepared before it happens. When looking for health insurance companies, you will notice that most companies list doctors and hospitals in their websites that participate in their plan. Some will also mail you a printed list.

The best health insurance plan will have your doctor on their list or at least familiar doctors you know who serve your home area. It is also important to consider a plan that will cover you well in other geographic areas in case you travel.

They say cheap is expensive but that doesn’t mean that expensive is always the best. When looking for a health insurance plan, it is advisable to pick the lowest cost that fits into your budget. You can get the best by analyzing different policies. There are some policies that don’t include the cost of prescriptions since medication can be expensive. Put this into consideration before you agree to the policy. 
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A Complete Look at Cancer

In the past several decades, the medical community has placed significant importance on the fight against cancer. As a result, the number of people who survived cancer from 1992 to 2014 doubled from 7 million to 14 million, according to the National Cancer Institute. While this is a key indicator of the considerable amount of progress made through cancer research, there is still more work to be done. The following looks at the number of people who have been affected by cancer, as well as why the number of individuals in the United States is expected to increase despite the strides made within the cancer community.



A Look at Cancer by the Numbers

According to the American Cancer Society, as of January 1, 2014, almost 14.5 million living Americans had a history of cancer. While some of these individuals had been diagnosed with cancer years ago and had undergone successful treatment, others have only recently learned of their illness and are currently receiving treatment.



Researchers believe that about 1,658,370 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in 2015. This figure does not include cases of basal or squamous cell cancer or any noninvasive cancer except bladder. It is thought that the leading sites of new cancer will be the prostate in men with 220,800 new cases diagnosed and the breast in females with 231,480 new cases diagnosed. Currently, in the United States, men have a higher risk of developing cancer (slightly less than 1 in 2) than women (a tad more than 1 in 3).



Researchers also expect around 589,430 Americans to die of cancer, or approximately 1,620 people daily, in 2015. Of these estimated deaths, lung and bronchial cancer is predicted to be the leading cause of death in both men and women. It is interesting to note that almost 171,000 of these estimated deaths will be the result of tobacco smoking. Currently, cancer accounts for one out of four deaths in the United States and is second only to heart disease in terms of mortality.