Reader’s Question:

I’d like to get health insurance in Norman Oklahoma OK but I’m not sure which will be right for a ballerina like me. I do not have a steady income, but rather it is dependent on our shows. I hope you can help me pick the right health insurance.

Corrine

Norman, OK

Hello, ballerina Corrine! I love ballet so if I am ever in Oklahoma  I hope it will be at a time when you are performing so I can go and watch you dance.

Due to the nature of your profession, and the irregular, or unscheduled, income you have, I would highly recommend getting a managed health insurance. Managed health insurance does not require you to pay for your expenses, and you have a wide range of medical professionals to assist you in your time of ailment. Managed health insurance are usually managed (as the name implies) by health management organizations (HMOs) and your individual health plan will be managed by a primary care physician who will refer you to the specialist that you would require at any point in time.

There are many HMOs in Oklahoma and consequently there are many options when it comes to health insurance plans. To get a few sample quotes, you just need to enter your zip code on the search bar that you see on this page. Take your time reviewing the five proposals given to you before you choose one. Good luck, Corrine, and stay graceful all the time!

Reader’s Question:

Good day. I do not understand my health insurance policy. Every year it seems to change. I live in Tulsa  and have insurance from a national provider but every year the deductibles and prescription coverage changes. Any advice?

Carla

Tulsa, OK

Hello Carla,

You have the same concerns as many Americans right now. Health insurance is a great concern. Each year health insurance companies analyze their coverage packages and modify them as expenses continue to rise.

Most health insurance companies revamp their prescription riders based on their experience rating. The cost of medication just keeps rising so the deductibles have changed dramatically over the past few years.

As the cost of all health services has increased, health insurance companies have also raised deductibles. These increases are a way to make the user understand the cost of services and to defer some of the medical services expense.

Health insurance companies encourage clients to lead healthy lifestyles and help control the cost of treatment. On the surface the cost of medication and deductibles seem minor but over the period of a year, clients are amazed at how these expenses add up.

The cost of health insurance, the total of all deductibles including prescriptions is tax deductible. We suggest that health insurance policy holders keep very accurate records of all expenditures whether they are local in Tulsa or out of town..

To make sure you are receiving a fair and competitive health insurance policy, why not complete the inquiry form on this site. Just fill in your zip code for Tulsa  and answer a few questions and soon you will receive proposals form nationally recognized carriers. That’s a pretty good way to make sure your coverage is up-to-date.

Reader’s Question:

I am not certain about my health insurance coverage in Oklahoma City. I got it from my employer in Oklahoma. If I find my coverage inadequate, should I buy supplemental health insurance?

Nikki

Oklahoma City, OK

It’s good to know that some companies can be so thoughtful about their employees. Well, the answer to your question really depends on several factors. Supplemental health insurance might be essential if you are at high risk for a serious illness, accidents, or hospitalization. What’s important is for you to have the peace of mind that having additional insurance coverage can bring you. This will be applicable if you can afford supplemental coverage.

Most supplemental health insurance in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma OK offer cash benefits to defray medical costs and other expenses incurred due to sickness or injury. It can come in three main types, as: disease-specific, accident policy, or hospital indemnity policy.

The first one offer you cash benefit if you are diagnosed with a particular disease such as cancer. Payment is made on a per day basis, although some offer benefits per medical procedure.

Accident policies, on the other hand, pay you a cash benefit if an accident occurs. Only accidents which are specified in the policy declaration are eligible for payment by your insurer. The amount of the payment may depend on the degree of injury that you incur.

Lastly, hospital indemnity policies usually offers cash benefit to its policy holders in the event that he or she becomes hospitalized. Payment is made directly to you as the insured, or your beneficiary, on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

Tags: health insurance, health insurance policies, health insurance supplement

Reader’s Question:

What is a PPO? What are its advantages and disadvantages? I live in Oklahoma.

Billy

Lawton, OK

Thanks for asking, Billy.

PPO plans are usually group health insurance plans in Oklahoma which normally offer a good balance between affordable cost and choice of doctor for its policyholders. I think it can be considered as a cross between fee-for-service health insurance plan and an HMO. While the fee-for-service health insurance plan focuses on choice of doctors, the HMO has focus on low overall cost. PPO plan uses a network of providers (doctors, hospitals, other healthcare providers) to give you health services at low prices. With PPO, you will have the liberty to choose from a greater choice of doctors with the ability to receive care from any doctor or hospital outside the plan’s network at a higher cost to you. The disadvantage I think is having you pay more if you choose to consult a doctor that is not within the listed providers, or if you choose to avail of medical services from outside hospital or health provider (called out of network providers). Using out-of-network providers for a PPO plan does not only cost you more, it can also result to much paperwork than the HMO plan. Like a fee-for-service plan, a single physician will not manage your care in a PPO health insurance plan.

Reader’s Question:

I am getting married soon. I got health insurance in Lawton OK on my own as an individual policy. Is it difficult to make changes to my coverage?

Arthur

Lawton, OK

Congratulations, Arthur!

Though you might not be very happy with what you will hear from me. Unlike group health insurance policy, which can allow you to request for changes in writing easily, individual health insurance policies are not very easy to change in Lawton OK. Normally, if you would want to make changes to you individual health insurance policy, you would likely have to re apply…which means you need to undergo the normal application process without any guarantee if your current health insurance plan will accept you again. And if you happen to get enrolled again, the health insurance premium rate you will be paying is not guaranteed to be the same, especially if you were younger and healthier the last time you applied.

However, different health insurance companies in Lawton have different ways of addressing major life events like getting married. You might need to submit an application for your new wife if you want her to be included in your health insurance coverage. The best thing you can do is to check with your current health insurance coverage provider before you decide to apply for coverage elsewhere. This is also the same advise I can give you in case another life changing event happens to you such as having a new addition to your family by giving birth or adoption.

Reader’s Question:

I am from Oklahoma and I have rejected both by a health insurance company and life insurance. I was diagnosed with HIV 2 years ago and was dropped out from my life insurance eventually. I would like to know if there is anything else that I can do as I wouldn’t want to undergo the same underwriting process I’ve went through and get denied afterwards. What are my options?

Danny

Norman, OK

There’s always something you can do, Danny.

You are so lucky that you live in one of the 30 states that have what’s called “high-risk pools” which offer health insurance to “uninsurable” residents like you. This is really a government program intended for people who are turned down by health or life insurance companies because of their medical condition. You might want to be one of more than 175,000 people enrolled in this program across the U.S. which can possibly be the only program that can offer you health insurance coverage.

So how is this different from other health insurance in Oklahoma? Well, apparently, it offers similar coverage to that of private insurers, but can be limited in some states. There might be limitations on other healthcare such as mental health and pregnancy, which is hardly the case with private health insurance policies. However, like private health insurance companies, high-risk pools programs impose a waiting period of 6-12 months on coverage of pre-existing conditions.

Be informed as well that high-risk pool premiums are relatively more expensive than the private health insurance policies. I think this is because the premiums are normally higher in high-risk pools than what’s being charged by private insurance companies. Also, coverage becomes expensive for people with older age since all states adjust premiums for age when it comes to high-risk pools.

But if you really think about it, this is really a giant step for people like you who have medical conditions. What’s important is, you get coverage and you will be protected especially since you have an existing health condition.

Reader’s Question:

I am shopping for my insurance online and I have noticed I am asked for my gender and age in application forms. How can that affect my life insurance premiums in Oklahoma?

Dean

Lawton, OK

Hi there, Dean. Do you believe that women live longer than men? Well, if you don’t, then you better now because life insurance companies believe so. Statistics show that women live about 3-6 years longer than. When life insurance companies compute your premiums, they have their own mortality tables. By using these tables, life insurance companies use the male rate less 4 years when calculating life insurance rates for a female applicant.

Younger people are expected to live longer than older ones. Precisely the reason why insurance companies offer very low premium rates for babies age zero. Age can predetermine life expectancy. The longer you live, the longer time your life insurance company has to earn from your premiums through other investments. Thus, age is material to a cheap life insurance policy in Oklahoma.

So does this mean that given all the conditions are the same for two life insurance policy applicants, including age, medical conditions, and occupation, does it mean that the female will get a cheaper life insurance premium than the male?

Technically, yes. However, the benchmark differs from one insurance company to another in Oklahoma. So since age and gender are 2 things which are out of your control, just take note of other factors that can give you cheap life insurance policy premiums such as smoking and activities that you do, including your occupation.