Discount Health Plan: Do You Really Need One?

Discount health plans are becoming more and more popular as today's huge economic crisis is forcing insurance premiums through the roof and causing unprecedented foreclosure rates and job losses.

Does all this mean that a discount health plan would be just the thing you need?

Not necessarily.

What it does mean, however, is that if you currently don’t have health insurance, or if your insurance policy refuses to pay for all your health care expenses, you'll want to read this entire article.

First of all, there could be a variety of reasons why you don’t have health insurance. Perhaps your insurance policy doesn’t cover all your expenses.

Or maybe you're a small business owner seeking affordable health care but can’t afford the high insurance premiums and deductibles. Or perhaps the insurance company has turned you down because you have a “pre-existing condition."

I can relate to this because I fit into one of those categories. Being self employed has its advantages, but it also has its downside.

When you own your own business, you can no longer rely on “the company” to pay for your health and dental expenses. You’re the company now--and if you’re going to get health care, you’ll have to pay for it.

But what if there was a way you could afford to pay your health care expenses (including dental) without having to buy insurance--and without having to worry about things like pre-existing conditions, age limits, paperwork, co-pays, deductibles and waiting periods? What if you could visit your doctor or dentist today and save 20%-30% off your bill?

And what if you could do all this for a little more than the price of a cup of coffee a day?

The answer is a discount health plan.

Here’s how a discount health plan works.

You sign up with a company and agree to pay a small monthly fee. In return, the company issues you a discount card and a list of providers (physicians) in your area who have agreed to give you a discount every time you visit. With your discount card you can expect to save from 30% to 40% or more on medical procedures.

Since a discount plan is not insurance, you are responsible for paying for all services, but you receive a discount from your healthcare provider (physician or dentist). You can request a list of providers in your area prior to signing up for the plan.

Here’s what you can expect when you sign up for a discount health plan.

• No paperwork to fill out and no health questions to answer.
• Ongoing (pre-existing) health problems are accepted.
• You can use the plan for services not covered by Medicare, Medicaid or your insurance policy.
• There’s no waiting period. You can start using the plan the day you sign up.
• You don’t have to worry about how old (or young) you are.
• There’s no age limit.
• You can change physicians and use specialists, where available.
• The plan includes cosmetic surgery, where available.
• The plan includes Physician, Ancillary Services, Hospital Advocacy, 24-hour NurseLine, Podiatry Services, Dental, Vision, Prescription and Chiropractic.
• The plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee -- and you can cancel at any time.

How much does a discount health plan cost?

You shouldn't pay more than $40 a month for a discount plan that includes your entire household and includes physician, dental, prescription, vision and chiropractic.

But what's the downside?

The downside to discount health and dental plans is that you have to pay for your services up front. I many cases your doctor will work out a payment arrangement with you.

And you have to be careful to check out the company, their promises and check their provider list before you sign up.

But with all that's been said, here's how you can tell for sure if you really need a health discount plan.

• You’ve been avoiding going to the doctor because you simply can’t afford to go.

• You’re in pain now from a toothache, and you don’t have dental insurance.
• You’re on Medicare or Medicaid, but neither will pay for the all your medical expenses.
• You’re a small business owner and need health care, but health insurance is just too expensive.
• You already have health insurance, but your policy won’t pay for everything you need.

  If none of the above applies to you, you don’t need a discount health plan.

  For more information about how to choose the best discount health plan, how much they cost and how much you can expect to save, click here.