How to Buy Health Insurance (3/4)


Part 3/4 - Insurance Supplements and Special Programs

Supplemental Policies

  • Hospital Confinement Indemnity - pays a fixed amount for each day you are confined to a hospital. It is usually a supplement to another insurance policy.
  • Disability Income Protections - provides a weekly or monthly payment while you are disabled or recovering from injury or sickness, usually a percentage of your gross earnings. Many policies have elimination periods, i.e. payment don't start until you have been disabled for 1 to 6 months.
  • Long-Term Care (Nursing home care policy) - pays for care in a nursing home.
  • Home Healthcare Policy - covers service prescribed by a physician. The service must help with activities of daily living.
  • Accident Insurance - covers death, disability, hospital and other medical care resulting from an accident.

Special Programs

  • Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people 65 years or older, people of any age with permanent kidney failure, or people with certain types of disabilities. Medicare has two parts: Part A Hospital insurance and part B- supplemental insurance doctors, out-patient care, etc. Medicare has premiums, deductibles and coinsurance payments. Prescription benefits vary by state.
  • Medicaid is a program that pays for medical assistance for individuals and families with low incomes and resources. For more information, please see "https://www.medicaid.gov/."
  • Children Health Plus - Children under the age of 19 who are not eligible for Medicaid and have limited or no health insurance may be eligible for Child Health Plus. Check with your state department of insurance for more information.
  • Other Programs - Check with your state insurance department. Many states have special programs for people who are uninsurable due to high risk factors or who have lost their employer sponsored health coverage.

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