The incidence of skin cancer is rising. The likelihood of skin cancer is increased with frequent or long-term exposure to the sun. Fair-skinned individuals are even more susceptible. In addition to limiting sun exposure, be sure to cover up with clothing and use sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.

A prevalent topic of debate in presidential elections has been how to address this country’s health care shortcomings. With our country’s economic recession, the shortage of employment opportunities has created an even larger pool of individuals and families who are uninsured. To tackle this dilemma, President Obama has proposed a government sponsored alternative to the private health care market. However, many Republicans feel such a proposal will result in too much government intervention in health care, and destroy the current private market.

Read the full post on Obama’s Health Care Proposal.

Seat belts save more than just lives. A study found that nonusers were three times more likely to be hospitalized and had an average hospital bill that was 3.3 times higher than those who buckled up. They were also 8.4 times more likely to suffer a serious head injury and 2.7 times more likely to break a bone.

It is estimated that in the state of Michigan there are 1.2 million people who are without health insurance. This number is thought only to grow as the economic recession continues to eliminate jobs. As a result, state lawmakers are making efforts to restructure Michigan’s health care coverage.

Currently the Democrats are proposing a plan they call “Michigan Catastrophic Protection Plan” (MCPP). The plan intends to help alleviate the financial burden of medical bills endured by individuals with catastrophic ailments by creating a new fund. Specifically, the plan would assist people facing more than $25,000 in medical costs by reimbursing the insurance companies for claims ranging from $25,000 to $250,000.

Read the full post on Restructuring Michigan Health Insurance Coverage.

There are three major factors that influence the rates of insurance premiums:
1. The age of the individual.
2. The zip code of where the individual resides.
3. The number of individuals quoted.

Why does the zip code influence an insurance premium? Insurance companies measure the risk of a zip code by calculating the number of claims that have been filed in that particular area. If an insurance carrier has received numerous claims, their premiums are likely to be slightly higher than another company who has not. An advantage to owning an individual policy over a group is that the risk is spread over a larger pool of individuals, and a result, one claim doesn’t influence the group’s premiums as much.

Read the full post on What Factors Influence Insurance Rates & Premiums?.

Over the past decade the demand for travel insurance has significantly increased. A major catalyst in this development has been the rise in the natural disasters such as hurricane Katrina or the Tsunami of 2004 which devastated places like India and Thailand.

Why do you need travel insurance? Although traveling around the world is exciting, it can also be very uncertain. To help protect against unseen events such as medical expenses/evacuations or baggage loss people can obtain travel insurance. Furthermore, with the economic recession, taking a vacation can be a large investment for any family. There are forms of travel insurance that can protect you from major financial loss for non-refundable payments if a trip is canceled as a result of a natural disaster or a death/illness in the family.

Read the full post on Travel Insurance: Protecting Yourself Abroad.

Nobody likes going to the dentist to begin with, but doing so doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. Many individual policies today incorporate a dental rider to help keep your smile bright.

-Typically, what do individual dental policies cover? The majority of dental polices today promote individuals to tend to their preventive needs. What does this mean? Insurance companies more often or than not will cover the two yearly dental cleanings and annual X-rays at 100%.

Read the full post on What to expect with individual dental coverage.

A study showed that 75 percent of morning exercisers were likely to still be at it one year later, as opposed to 50 percent of those who exercised at midday and 25 percent of those who exercised in the evening. It seems that as the day progresses, would-be exercisers are more likely to think of excuses to avoid working out.

The average cost of child birth today can range anywhere from $9,000-$13,000 (not including complications with pregnancy). For this very reason, finding a health insurance policy with maternity benefits becomes crucial when bearing the inevitable medical expenses. Furthermore, it is important to point out that not every carrier or health insurance policy offers maternity coverage. If you are looking to have kids, clarify that maternity benefits are available with your agent.

What maternity benefits are available through individual health insurance?

Read the full post on Maternity Benefits & Individual Health Insurance.

Identifying a health insurance plan that meets one’s personal needs is difficult as is. However, with the constant limitations of coverage placed on “pre-existing conditions,” finding adequate prescription coverage in a plan can make the search increasingly tricky. If one is able to get approved for medical coverage, it is important that they understand the benefits available to cover their prescription medications.

Insurance companies will typically incorporate prescription coverage that is tier structured. Most generic drugs fall under the first tier, and will usually have a $10-$15 copayment. Preferred brand name and non-preferred drugs will also have a copayment ranging from $30-$50, BUT will be subject to a prescription drug deductible. This deductible is separate from the major medical deductible, and must be satisfied in order for the copayment benefit to go into effect.

Read the full post on Individual Health Insurance & Prescription Benefits.