| What factors affect the cost of your health | | | | (There is no application fee with Blue Cross and Blue |
| insurance? | | | | Shield of North Carolina.) With the information from this |
| Age: Obviously, there is a link between your need for | | | | application, they will provide you with a "final quote". |
| health services and your age. As you hit the age of | | | | Which plan should you choose? |
| fifty, typically, you start using health providers more and | | | | The most important factor to consider is the monthly |
| more. You may also notice, that health insurance | | | | cost. You must be able to pay the premium month in |
| premiums start taking larger jumps after the age of | | | | and month out. Don't burden yourself with a premium |
| fifty. | | | | that you can't maintain. You will have a choice of |
| Gender: Females will pay higher premiums than males. | | | | about thirty plans. Buy one of the middle plans. Don't |
| Is it because they use medical services more or is it | | | | buy the most expensive plan, unless you know that |
| because they need medical services more? Who | | | | you can afford it. |
| knows the answer? | | | | Don't make the common mistake: |
| Current and Past Health: There is a correlation | | | | Many people find that the best plans are "too |
| between your previous health conditions and your | | | | expensive". Don't think that because you cannot afford |
| expectancy of future good health. Certainly, your | | | | the plan that you "want", that you shouldn't buy any |
| current health issues will affect your premiums. | | | | plan. Buy the least expensive plan, if you must, but buy |
| Where you live: Insurance rates vary depending on | | | | a plan. Let's say that the least expensive plan has a |
| which state and even the county you reside in. | | | | very high deductible of $10,000. Certainly, if you had a |
| Type of plan: If you are going to compare insurance | | | | health crisis, you wouldn't want to have to pay ten |
| plans, make sure that you compare "apples with | | | | thousand dollars. |
| apples". For example, compare PPO plans with PPO | | | | However, if you don't have insurance, you will have a |
| plans, not with HMO plans. Make sure that you are | | | | deductible that is much greater than ten thousand |
| comparing "Major Medical' plans with Major Medical | | | | dollars. If you need bypass surgery, for example , |
| plans, and not with any other type of plan. | | | | which typically costs about $130,000, your $10,000 |
| "How much will the insurance cost?" | | | | deductible will look a lot better. Another factor that is |
| We will use Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North | | | | involved here, is that many people do not realize is that |
| Carolina as an example: First, you obtain an online | | | | if you don't have health insurance, and you need that |
| quote. This quote takes into account your age, location, | | | | bypass surgery, the hospital does not have to admit |
| and gender only. This online quote that does not take | | | | you unless it is a medical emergency! Needing bypass |
| into account your current health situation. Certainly, you | | | | surgery is usually not a medical emergency. |
| cannot expect that this quote will be representative of | | | | Summary: |
| your situation unless you are of "standard health". | | | | There are many factors that affect your health |
| Second: you can obtain a "final quote". To do this, you | | | | insurance premiums. The most important ones are age, |
| will need to do an application. The quickest way to do | | | | gender, current and past health, where you reside, and |
| this is online. However, if your computer skills are | | | | type of plan. Choose one of the middle, more |
| lacking, or your patience with computers is low, you | | | | affordable plans. If you must, buy the least expensive |
| should ask that the agent send you a paper application. | | | | plan...you need to be covered. |