May 7, 2007

Disability Insurance: Things to Remember

by Javier Fuller

Insurance, needless to say, is a very well known word in the whole world. Not only Life insurance, Vehicle insurance, Building insurance, people today go for even body parts insurance, say eyes or voice insurance. And talking about Disability Insurance, it is definitely one of the much sought after types of insurance.

This insurance, justifying its name, helps the policyholder to take care of his or her necessities when the person fails to attend work due to illness or injury. Some surveys show that one in three people becomes disabled at the age of 35; they get disabled minimum for three months before attaining the age of 65; and one in ten may face permanent disability. This type of coverage will, undoubtedly, solve some of your financial problems such as medical and rehabilitation expenses.

Generally, disability insurance is available in two kinds: short term disability insurance and long term disability insurance. Long-term insurance covers periods more than six months till the time of retirement. No insurance company will offer coverage of 100% of your income fearing that you will not go back to work even after becoming fully fit. Short-term disability insurance covers 40% to 60% of the policyholder’s actual income
while long-term insurance will offer 75% to 80% on a tax-free basis. Therefore, it is wise to get as much coverage as possible.

Either, people can go for disability insurance issued by the government or get it as insurance package provided by their employers. Mostly, the insurance coverage provided by the employer ends at the time of termination of one’s job. Several US States are able to manage public disability insurance coverage policy financed by payroll taxes.
Again, you have to look into several important factors while choosing a disability insurance policy. Such factors as total disability and renewability have to be considered carefully.

Choose the policy that provides the clause that the insurance company cannot cancel or raise your premiums so that you will not be forced to cancel it. Better look for a non-cancelable policy or guaranteed renewable policy. With this policy you will not be singled out and the raise in premiums could be done only with the consent of the whole class of insured people. Conditionally renewable policies are also welcome.

Other policies needed to be taken into consideration are residual insurance– for hardworking lot falling ill or getting injured; presumptive insurance– protecting severely affected ones; and recurring insurance– for helping people who, after recovery, become disabled again.

Also, elimination as well as benefit periods and policy exclusions ought to be keenly studied. To promote disability insurance, various optional riders such as cost of living, are available. The additional clauses also comprise automatic increase rider, social-insurance-substitute-rider and residual-disability insurance. So, know everything about the policy before going for it. An informed choice is always a better choice.

Follow the link www.about-disability.com/disability-insurance/ to get more information on disability aids and disability civil rights


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April 15, 2007

Thinking About Gastric Bypass Surgery? Your Health Insurance Probably Requires Preauthorization

by Jonni Good

Gastric bypass surgery is expensive, so most patients considering this procedure will look to their health insurance policy to cover at least part of the cost. Some insurance policies will not cover any obesity-related treatments, but those that will pay for weight loss surgery almost always require preauthorization.

This means that your insurance company will probably ask for medical records, a treatment plan, and perhaps a letter from your primary doctor and surgeon to show that you meet their criteria for benefits. Your doctor may be required to show that you have attempted weight loss in the past through other, less dangerous methods, and have failed.

If you have not already read your insurance company’s medical policy on gastric bypass surgery, you should do so before you ask your doctor to request pre-authorization. Your doctor’s staff may already have a copy of the medical policy, but if they don’t, it is always helpful if you provide this to them. If it isn’t available on your insurance company’s website, they should be mail you a copy if you ask for it.

Your doctor and surgeon may have a financial stake in helping you get insurance benefits, but the responsibility for finding the funds for your surgery is primarily on your shoulders. You should do everything you can to make the process easier for your doctor’s staff.

The specific medical policy concerning weight loss surgery is a separate document from your benefit policy - it is a document that lays down the rules for coverage for this specific procedure. Your insurance company has a medical policy for most major medical treatments and diagnoses, and the medical policy often includes the company’s criteria for ‘medical necessity.’

One thing that often confuses patients is the clause found in many health insurance contracts defining the term ‘medically necessary.’ People naturally assume that if their doctor says a procedure is needed, the insurance company will accept this as true. However, their definition of ‘medically necessary’ may be different from your doctor’s.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that the procedure isn’t needed for your health and well-being - it simply means that your health insurance company doesn’t have to pay for the surgery.

That’s why you want to read the insurance company’s contract and medical policy carefully before making any financial decisions about your treatment.

If your insurance company requires preauthorization and you go ahead with treatment without going through the preauthorization process, the surgical costs will probably not be covered. This could be a very expensive mistake, and it can easily be avoided.

When the insurance carrier receives the pre-authorization request, their medical staff will go over the material provided by your doctor and decide if the criteria listed in their medical policy have been met.

Your doctor’s opinion about your need for gastric bypass surgery will need to be backed up by real facts and chart notes. A letter from your doctor that basically states “because I said so” is not going to impress your insurance company, although a surprising number of doctors send one in, anyway.

If you do not meet the insurance company’s criteria for benefits, you may want to carefully reconsider your decision to have the surgery. The surgery is not without risks, and should not be undertaken without very strong facts showing that it’s needed. If it is needed, your doctor should be able to say why in a way that is acceptable to other medically-trained professionals.

If your request for preauthorization is turned down, you may be able to appeal the decision if:

- Your policy covers bariatric surgery,

- You qualify under the medical policy’s guidelines, and

-Your doctor has provided all the documentation that was requested,

The appeal process, if any, will be carefully outlined in your benefit handbook, and you must pay special attention to the amount of time you’re given to appeal, and what forms you may need to get the process started.

Remember that even if you have a right to appeal, you will need additional evidence not previously provided to the insurance carrier, unless the previous decision was clearly made in error. And there is no guarantee that the previous decision will be overturned.

Insurance law varies in every state, and every insurance contract is different. Be sure to seek legal advice from someone familiar with your state’s insurance laws if you are not sure about your benefits and rights under your policy. A clear understanding of your benefit contract will give you the best chance of receiving all the benefits that your health insurance premiums are paying for.

Jonni Good has much more information about gastric bypass surgery and your insurance, as well as the costs, complications, and expected results from this popular weight loss surgery. Find more information you can use today at http://www.1gastricbypass.com/


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March 30, 2007

Disability Insurance Policy: How To Get The Best Deal

by Javier Fuller

To quote William Shakespeare, “As flies to wanton boys are we to the Gods”. So, just like little boys get some cruel pleasure by torturing the poor, helpless tiny creatures; the Gods also seem to entertain themselves by setting free untold miseries on human beings when they are not pleased with them.

You are left to suffer the heavenly curses while asking yourself what wrong you did to deserve such a horrible punishment. Instead of investigating the reasons, you face the challenge like a brave person, as He wished you to be. Now, you are left with only one choice, give a stiff resistance to it and be well prepared to deal with such an outcome.

Fortunately, Disability Insurance comes to your rescue on such occasions and lends you a helping hand. Several insurance companies are in the fray with stretched hands to help you. Still, it is up to you to study the pros and cons of each insurance policy one after another before arriving at a conclusion. Take your own time and be wise in your endeavor. Listed below are five important things, which you must understand well before you sign up with an insurance policy.

1. There should be enough flexibility in the terms and conditions of the policy. This gives a guarantee that when something unexpected happens seriously, the policy could act as a savior immediately.

2. The policy should give you enough financial coverage to meet all your expenses yourself without losing out on your freedom and honor.

3. The insurance policy you are inclined towards must pay you enough to keep your lifestyle the same as you had been leading before the disaster struck you. To make it clearer, the policy you choose must be able to convince you that there is no financial difference even if you are unemployed.

4. Say goodbye to a policy that has a clause only for security but not any to fulfill your dreams. You may be having your own plans and ambitions about your future. Your search will be completed only with the discovery of an insurance policy that will safely land you in a better career after you regain your fitness.

5. Lastly, make a careful comparison of the amounts to be paid as premiums and confirm whether there is any advantage in paying a higher premium. Never assume that higher premiums will fetch you more coverage.

The amount of disability premium is determined by several factors such as a person’s age, sex and job. Disability Insurance is something that no one likes to think about, but it might produce a big difference in an unexpected eventuality.

Follow the link www.about-disability.com/disability-insurance/ to get more information on disability aids and disability civil rights


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February 7, 2007

How A Good Disability Insurance Policy Upholds You During Sick Times?

by Javier Fuller

Worried about the revved up medical bills on your recent sickness- temporary disability? It has made a big whole in your monthly budget. And now you are having sleepless nights on any possibility of recurrence of the situation in future.

Well, with the changing lifestyles, diseases among the generations have increased. Sometimes these diseases take the from of disabilities, costing you more on your pockets. But buying an insurance policy can give you some amount of respite. When you are unable to work, disability insurance coverage replaces some portion of your earned income. You get two major types of disability coverage:

Short-Term Disability Coverage: This type of insurance coverage gives you cover for the early days of your disability. This policy can pay you benefits for two weeks to two years. Usually short-term disability is included in the employee’s benefit package.

Long-Term Disability Coverage: As the name suggests, long term disability helps you replace your income for an extended period of time. This time period generally ends after five years or when the age of the disabled person is 65. This long term disability is either provided by your employer or you can also have it individually. Under this, there are two types of individual insurance. One is non cancelable and the other is the guaranteed renewable.

In this type of insurance scheme, the renewal of the policy cannot be refused by the insurer. The insurer is also required to pay the premiums on time. The major difference between the two is that, you have an extra security in a non-cancelable contract, that the premiums will never be raised above that shown in the policy.

But a guaranteed renewable insurance policy can raise the premiums, if the change made affects all the policyholders. Due to this, the initial premiums are less expensive for the guaranteed renewable policy as compared to the non-cancelable one.

Insurance on individual disability is a basic concept. It considerably replaces your total income and that too on a tax free basis. The disability policy provided by every company is different from the other. But it is not a product that you can shop for on the basis of competitive rates. Buying a cheap disability insurance policy is just like throwing away money.

So before going in for a particular insurance policy, it is advisable for you to do a little market survey and put your hands on the one that is the most suitable to you.

Follow the link www.about-disability.com/disability-insurance/ to get more information on disability aids and disability civil rights


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