Are you tired of paying too much for health insurance premiums?
Only 5 or 6 years ago health insurance seemed very affordable
with fantastic coverage to match. Well, if you're an individual
or family who pays for health insurance today chances are you're
literally getting punched in the pocket book, and it hurts.

Dramatically health insurance has changed over the last five years
and this article will no doubt arm you with the knowledge you need
to get the most out of your next health insurance plan. First,
an individual or family needs to identify with what they need out
of a health plan. Notice I say need, because unless you make more
money than you know what to do with there is no way in the world
most people can afford the "Perfect" plan with all the bells
and whistles.

Do you need a doctors office co pay?

Most people don't realize this will save you up to 30%
with some companies by cutting this benefit out of your
health insurance plan. Doctors continually raise their fees
for visits and most of the time the consumer will go much faster
to the doctor if he or she has a $10 co pay as opposed to paying
the $50 the doctor may charge. Insurance companies pay millions
for these fees and trust me, after the first 12 months of your
plan being in effect you're the one who will be paying by a
huge increase in your premium. I've seen insurance plans go up
79% after the first twelve months. Totally ridiculous.
The consumers cannot afford this.

Another huge problem which I'll go more in depth
in another article is prescription drug cards.
I really can't see where the consumer wins here either.
Don't get me wrong, if you're on an employer sponsored
group health insurance plan your probably getting a good deal
but I can assure you that your company is paying out the nose
for the coverage you've come to love. I talk to people weekly
who literally work for their health insurance coverage.
If you can do without a prescription drug plan I would.
It can generally save you 20 to 40% off your premium by
not having this benefit.

Consumers usually pay 500 to 700 dollars a year
for this benefit alone while the average family who can
qualify for individual or family medical plans don't spend near
this amount of money. And, once again when you finally use your
card the insurance company will generally offset the cost at
your renewal date by raising your health insurance premium.
Cut out these things and go with a deductible of $1,000 or higher
and you will definitely save yourself money both in the short
and long term. Most of us can pay for the occasional doctor visit
and prescription rather than giving our money up front to the
Insurance Company. Just a little food for thought.

About the Author
Ryan Orrell has been a specialist in the field of
health insurance since 1996 counseling hundreds of individuals
and families on policies which may be right for them.
Ryan is president of http://www.quotemonster.com,
an online shopping service designed to help individuals
and families find affordable health insurance plans.
This article is also posted on the Web at
http://www.quotemonster.com/health-insurance-article-1.html