New Ideas for Persons Needing Medical and Dental Coverage After Losing a Job or Being Laid Off -- Good Options in Tough Times

This press release discusses the various options available to persons who have been laid off are between jobs or are self-employed and are in need answers as to how they will pay for medical bills. The options are discussed and a viable solution is given that is affordable for most people.

March 20, 2002 -- People all across the nation are asking similar questions: I have lost my job so how am I supposed to pay all these medical and dental bills? Others are asking another question: I have a pre-existing condition and I have lost my coverage on my job, so what now? For many, these are very important issues and ones that are not being adequately addressed by the typical insurance company.

Most people have the option upon losing a job, to continue their coverage through COBRA. The 1985 Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) and the Federal Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 gives employees the guaranteed right of continuous health insurance coverage for a price. Now if a person has hundreds of dollars to shell out in monthly premiums (those amounts a former company used to pay), this may be a good option. Some companies charge as much as $10,000 per year for family coverage with monthly premiums ranging anywhere from $200 to $900. To make matters worse, the first monthly payment must be paid within 60 days of the last day of work and if a payment is late, it is cancelled - period. However, most people barely have enough coming in or in the bank to cover rent and basic expenses, let alone highly monthly medical insurance premiums. This is a good option, if you can afford it, when you absolutely must have coverage of pre-existing conditions. Unfortunately, though, only about 30% of employees nationwide can afford this option.

Even if a person loses their job and then in a couple months, finds another one, there is typically a 90 day waiting period involved with the new employer. This can be quite disheartening for people who are on medication and under the continued treatment of a physician and have regular doctor visits. This period without any coverage can seem like an eternity when those medical bills and prescription costs start rolling in.

Now there is the option of going with a traditional insurance policy. Unfortunately, though, this usually means high premiums not to mention a deductible. The higher the deductible, the lower the monthly premium cost. The lower the deductible you choose, the higher your premiums will be. You are paying for risk. In addition, people really have to pay attention to the fine print in many of these insurance policies, because many of them have exclusions for pre-existing conditions. So, for instance, if you have already been diagnosed with a condition that you were being treated for, you may not be able to get coverage for any new treatments or prescriptions arising from that particular condition in the future with the new policy.

Now as far as insurance plans go, people have basically two options. First, a basic plan will guarantee coverage including pre-existing conditions. No benefits are provided until a high deductible is met (usually $750 to $1,000), and there are limits on coverage such as allowing you only $130 per day for a hospital stay. This type of plan cannot be obtained by anyone who has had a lapse in coverage from a group plan. This type of plan should only be considered as a last resort by someone who has serious health problems and who cannot get coverage any other way.

Secondly, there are insurance companies that will cover you but will take you through an extensive evaluation process. After going through this underwriting process you could still be turned down if they deem you too high of a risk. These policies are cheaper but they may exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions and at the least may delay coverage for those same conditions.

Another option for many may be to simply get added to the employer health insurance policy of a spouse, assuming that they are married. This option will depend on whether or not additions can be done at any time or only during an open enrollment period. Many employers have open enrollment during a certain month of the year. The best thing to do is simply to have your spouse check with his or her employer to see what the procedure is.

One of the best options thus far for many people who have lost their coverage and who have few options, is a medical or dental savings program. These programs simply cut the out-of-pocket expenses related to medical and dental expenses. These plans are not insurance and there are no waiting periods. There are many such plans out there, but David Agrinsonis offers 2 of the best plans available. The plans, through his companies, are quite affordable and cover all pre-existing conditions. Plans for a family are no more than $54.95 per month and individual coverage for dental plans start at $19.95 per month. The self-employed, underinsured, and uninsured can save up to 80% on doctors and hospitals, long term care, dental, vision, prescriptions, chiropractic, alternative medicine, and more! A medical/savings program can also be used to supplement insurance policies that do not cover healthcare expenses at 100%.

David Agrinsonis finds his job quite rewarding, especially during this time when so many people are hurting financially and need to save money any way they can. He has been helping people substantially cut their health care costs since 1997. He is constantly hearing from satisfied clients who have saved hundreds and even thousands of dollars on medical and dental costs that would have broke them financially otherwise. He is truly offering a much-needed service with the current state of our national economy. You may contact him for more information simply by e-mailing him at: agrinsonis@hotmail.com.

CONTACT:
David Agrinsonis
13813 North Drive
Garfield Heights, Ohio 44105
Toll Free:    (866) 455-0471
Telephone:   (216) 475-1806
E-mail him:   agrinsonis@hotmail.com
Websites:
http://www.mybenefitsplus.com/agrinsonis
www.us-healthcard.com