Do You Know What Factors Determines the Cost of Health Insurance?

Major factors that determine the cost of health insurance.

The cost of health insurance effects everyone, those who are starting their own business or getting married. There are number of factors which determine these cost, including your insurability, your health condition, your choice of plan, your location, your age, and gender. Some plans cost less, however, and some people pay less for their insurance, that's because these specific factors are calculated into the cost of health insurance.

There are two main categories of health insurance, individual health insurance and group health insurance. Group health insurance is supplied by your employer, so the factor determining this type of insurance are related to the choice by the human resource department of the company and the people who make up the group. Individual health insurance is a contract between you and the health insurance company and is based on your individual health and lifestyle. An individual plan may include you and your family.

Here are a summary of the contributing factors that affect the cost of health insurance:

1. Your Insurability

With group health insurance, the health of the entire group is taken into consideration in order to determine the cost. With an individual plan the health conditions of you and your family are evaluated. Therefore, an application must be filled out to include the health conditions and questions for all those wish to be covered by the plan. With an individual plan, an insurance company can choose to deny insurance to someone who has pre-existing health problems. An important question to consider when taking out an individual health policy, is are you insurable.

2. Your Health Condition:

Your health condition are an important ingredient of the underwriting process. When you apply for health insurance coverage, companies interview and dig up your personal and health history. They carry out laboratory test, such as urine and blood sampling that will determine your health conditions. When illnesses are found and when particular disease run in your family, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other diseases, chances are it will affect your premiums.

Because tobacco use affects your health, people who smoke or use tobacco products will pay an additional premium based on their smoking status. This could be an additional 10% of premium, depending upon the company.

Maternity is generally not covered on an individual plan, unless a rider is offered. There is an additional cost for maternity insurance. Many plans may cover complications of pregnancy even if you do not have maternity insurance.

3. Your Choice of Plan:

The plan that you choose will affect the premium you will pay. The more risk you assume, the lower the premium. The more risk the insurance company assumes the higher the premium, your risk is best summed up in the term "Out of Pocket Maximum" This refers to the maximum money you would pay for co-payments and deductibles. therefore the plan selection has an impact in what health insurance will cost. The plan options such as prescription drugs, office visits and dental will also impact a health plan.

4. Your Location:

Another factor which helps determine your insurance is where you live, your county and zip code will be used to determine your premium, the more rural counties are less expensive than urban counties. Larger cities tend to have higher costs than smaller towns, and coastal areas tend to cost more for care than middle America.

5. Your Age and Gender:

The older you are the more expensive your health insurance will be. The reason for this is because as we get older we have more health problems and go to the doctor more often, and premiums increase as you get older.

Also younger men usually have lower premiums than women of the same age, women are more likely to go to the doctor than men at these ages this means women pay higher premium than men do for health insurance. Men die sooner so they pay higher life insurance premiums.

When you understand the determining factors of the costs of buying and using health insurance, it's easier to find the insurance plan that's best for you and your family. Best of all, you'll be able to get the most out of the insurance plan you choose.

How to Care For a Pregnant Cat

When caring for a pregnant cat allow the expectant Queen to live as normal a life as possible in the early stages. Over-vigilance and strict supervision are not required and you will likely observe your expanding pet spending greater amounts of time relaxing on her side as she approaches full-term. At this time, when she is greatly distended, make sure that she does not climb or otherwise strain herself.

When you first note that your cat is pregnant is it strongly advisable to start adding vitamin supplements to her meals. With young developing inside her, a pregnant Queen needs all the extra nutritional help she can get; she'll no longer be eating for just one and will likely enjoy larger portions at mealtimes.

Added calcium is important for the development of strong bones in the unborn kittens. It is also wise to consult a Veterinarian who can suggest additional vitamin and mineral supplements/powders that will serve as valuable dietary additions; remember to ask about the length of time supplements need to be given. Many experienced breeders swear by raspberry leaf, used as a uterine tonic and general aid, as an addition to your pregnant cat's diet. Administer from the fifth week of pregnancy until a week after kittening for best results; available in tablet form.

On average, sixty-five days is the usual gestation period for a feline; be sure to factor in the usual twenty-one day period after mating, at which stage the queen's deep-pink, slightly swollen nipples should be clearly showing. With increased progesterone levels your cat's behavior may also be more affectionate than it usually is.

Don't be alarmed if the birthing doesn't occur exactly on cue but be conscious of the fact that she will likely begin 'nesting' close to this time so be sure to provide a suitable nesting box, located in a quiet, darkened corner. A simple cardboard box lined with alternate layers of cotton fabric and newspaper should suffice. A pen enclosing the box is a sensible idea but make sure it is disinfected beforehand with a cat friendly substance.

No matter how well-prepared you efforts, some pregnant cats will choose a bedroom cupboard, drawer, or linen cupboard etc, as a suitable place to give birth; if you have provided a comfortable box as an alternative you may be well served. Don't be disheartened if your cat does indeed choose another location, instinctively she will search for a private area, away from potential predators and aggressive male cats in order to protect her precious young.

Make sure to keep a close eye on the Mum-to-be and if any signs of discomfort, undue pain or premature bleeding occur, hasten to consult a Vet. In a small number of cases, a cesarean birth may be required, a procedure which could actually save your beloved pet's life.

Keep your cat away from danger and stressful situations (loud noises, dogs, etc) especially in the later stages of pregnancy. A bit of extra love and unobtrusive attention will help calm her at the time of impending motherhood.

How To Find The Best Low Cost Health Insurance Today!

If you're employed part-time or full-time you more than likely have health insurance coverage through your employer. If you're not employed or your employer doesn't provide coverage for one reason or another then you have to buy your policy with your own funds and hopefully find the best low cost health insurance.

If you're self-employed or work in a job that doesn't offer any coverage then you are forced to buy your own health care insurance, either as an individual or for your family, to make sure all of your medical costs are taken care of. You will want to contact companies that offer low cost options for each of the three types of insurance in the marketplace. They are HMO, PPO and indemnity protection.

Whether you shop online or offline you want to shop around for the best health insurance quote. You will want to weigh your low cost concerns with your medical coverage needs.

So if you're thinking about having a baby within the next couple of years, make sure to choose a policy that covers maternity care. If you're in reasonably good health and don't take medicines or any drugs, you might consider taking out a less expensive policy that has no prescription drug coverage.

When you find the plan that seems right for you, make sure to look over the policy. If you don't understand any of the policy language or the coverage make sure you go over it with someone who does understand it.

You'll want to ask what the procedure is if you need to submit a claim and what paperwork you'll need to fill out. If you have a regular doctor that you want to see under you new health plan then make sure the visits to the doctor are covered. If you like to travel anywhere in the country or have close family members who live in other parts of the US then make sure that you'll be covered when you travel. This travel insurance add-on can come in handy.

If you need help finding the best low cost health insurance quote you'll find the cost can vary quite a bit. It's a good idea to get several quotes from companies online before you make a decision.

Some companies offer an online service so you can get quotes from several different insurance companies at one time. They usually work with some of the most well known companies to help you find the best low cost health insurance for you and/or your family. It's easy to do and saves a lot of time. This is the best way to get good quotes because you can compare them fast and eliminate those that don't need your needs.

Hottest Maternity Swimwear For Pregnant Women

With Summer just around the corner, it is not too early to begin shopping for the perfect maternity swimsuit. This season has some sizzling hot styles and patterns that will make you feel like one hot mama when you hit the pool or beach this summer. Here's a breakdown of some of the best maternity swimsuit styles today:

Tankinis are a great style for most any women who is expecting. The 2 piece gives you the feel of a bikini while the belly skimming style gives you a flirty look combined with a bit of modesty for those of us who do not want to show all their expecting tummy at the pool. The tank style usually comes with adjustable straps and better support for larger busted women. Usually the wider the strap and the higher the back, the better the bust support in the suit. Belabumbum's nursing/maternity tankini is a personal favorite in hot pink. This suit is designed for both maternity and postpartum with discreet nursing access. Very cute and sassy! This suit also comes in solid black.

Halterkinis are another stylish alternative to a one piece or bikini. The halterkini styles typically have an adjustable tie around the neck which always gives a flattering, slimming and feminine silhouette look. Many women like to wear the halter tops separately with jeans or shorts. Look for halter tops that have some padding and good support so that they continue to support well when wet and don't show through. Prego Maternity has a number of super cute patterned halterkinis out this season. The Hippie Chic Sweetheart is especially well designed with wider straps than previous year's Sweetheart styles and fun festive paisley pattern that is sure to flatter.

If you are looking for more coverage and maximum support, then the babydoll style is a good option. Prego Maternity makes both a halter babydoll and the tank style in the plus babydoll which runs in sizes large-2X. The babydoll is an empire style top with a longer skirt which fully covers the hips and bottom in a mini-dress style. The bottoms fully cover the belly for maximum coverage if the skirt floats up in the water. This style has wide straps and is slightly bigger in the bust.

If you prefer strapless, but still looking for some hip and bottom coverage, then the strapless mini is a good choice. Prego Maternity's strapless mini comes in a variety of patterns and solids including a new First Bloom pattern with tapestry of hot pink and black flower blooms and swirling leafs interlaced with white. The strapless has a removable halter string for extra protection when swimming. The snug fitting style provides a beautiful silhouette on your blooming curves and shapes while allowing you to get a nice tan line across the shoulders.

If you are real swimmer, then there is not substitute for well fitting one piece suit to allow you to glide across the water with no extra fabrics and skirts floating in your mist. Prego Maternity's Empire Tank is the best suit out there for lap swimming. This suit provides superior bust support and stretches to perfectly encapsulate your growing curves and belly. It is very comfortable for lap swimming and very flattering on.

Maternal America's 1 Piece Keyhole swimsuit gives you a little more zing and sex appeal to your classic one piece suit. The beautiful ruched keyhole design just below the bust and above the tummy creates a slimming and flattering style which de-emphasizes the belly while showing off your pregnant shape. Halter straps add to the over all sexy and fabulous silhouette of this suit on your pregnancy figure. This suit comes in beautiful solid sky and fruit punch colors this season as well as classic black.

For those of you who love bikinis, Maternal America has some to die for styles out this season. The Jill Boy Bikini is simply adorable. This style maternity bikini has a securely fitting ruched top with a halter string that can also be worn strapless. The matching bikini boy short bottoms are just enough leg to cover your bottom with no ride up and comfortably fitting under the belly for a great fit and sassy look. This style looks especially great in this season's hot Fruit Punch solid color and Flower Power pattern.

As for maternity cover-ups, check out Maternal America's new strapless cover-up in Carnival print. This cover-up is light, breezy and easy to wear. You can also wear it as a regular tube top. Also Maternal America's new Strapless Flower maternity dress, which is also a smocked tube style but longer dress, doubles fabulously as a swimsuit cover-up. As for classic white and black, there is Maternal America's bestselling tunic swimsuit cover up with deep V neck and adjustable ties in the back. This style can also be layered over a fitted top or tank for a casual everyday top with jeans, capris or shorts.

Whether you opt for full coverage with a babydoll or a skimpy sexy boyshort bikini, there are plenty of styles to choose from with cover-ups to match this swimsuit season.

Getting Health Insurance When You Need It Fast

There may be a number of reasons why someone might find themselves without any health insurance. One could be that where they work doesn't offer it or they have lost their job and they will soon no longer have the insurance. Although most jobs will allow you to keep your insurance you have through you job, it's only for a certain amount of time and generally it is extremely expensive. So you will need to be able to find some insurance as soon as you can so that you are not caught in a situation without it.

One of the quickest ways to check on health insurance and to get yourself some quotes and see if you can manage to include it in your financial management plans, is to go online to the different companies that offer policies. It's a good idea to find those sites that are going to allow you to compare a variety of different quotes from different kinds of policies so that you can see what might be the best value for your personal situation.

Once you have done this you will need to compare the different quotes that different companies have to offer. Sometimes it seems easier and is also very tempting to pick the first company that offers the cheapest monthly payments. However, it's not always a good idea for you to pick a company based solely on their price alone. You should also make sure to see how much the deductibles are and the amount of money out of pocket you will need to put out each year. Is the deductible too high and also you need to know if the policy has a coinsurance and a certain percentage you need to pay even after the deductible. Low monthly payments mean nothing if in the end you still can't afford to pay for your treatments when you are sick.

Make sure that you see what each policy covers. For instance you might be surprised what a policy does not cover if you are getting insurance just for yourself. One example is for a woman who may be single and may need maternity care but you might find on a single policy that there is no coverage for this. You need to be very careful when you read each policy.

After you have found the policy that you think suits your needs and one that you can afford you can then just fill out the application that most companies will offer online. Make sure that you have all of your medical records handy because you will need to fill in as much information as you can about your medical history in order to be considered for the insurance.

Once you have sent in the application they will generally want to have a follow up with you in person to make sure that they have all of the information about you correct. They may ask to see copies of your past medical records and if you don't have a copy don't be surprised to find yourself being asked a bunch of questions about every doctor visit, every hospital visit and every drug you have been on for the past five to ten years.

Once they have qualified you the best way to get your insurance started quickly is to either send in a payment with your credit card online or over the phone. Often times by doing it this way you will have your coverage within a week.

Single Women and International Health Insurance

Single women who apply for international long term health insurance should not have to pay the same rates as married women.

If you are single, then you have an option to purchase medical insurance that does not include maternity coverage. There are insurance companies that provide career health insurance plans for unmarried women that exclude maternity. This means your health insurance will be less expensive, reducing your costs in some cases by as much as 35 percent.

That's good news.

When you purchase your international health insurance, take into consideration these other important factors:

o Maximum lifetime coverage could be as high as $5,000,000
o 80/20 co-insurance within the USA, and no co-insurance outside the USA
o PPO networks inside the USA and acceptance of any doctor outside the USA
o Deductibles that range from $250 to $10,000
o Medical Evacuation
o Coverage for prescription drugs after the deductible is met
o Health plans that give you different furlough options

The best advice I can give you is to talk to an insurance broker about these different aspects of your international health insurance.

Companies always list the benefits in large print on their web sites and brochures. It is important to read the small print sections, such as the "Schedule of Benefits" page and the "Exclusion" section. There may be important benefits that you might want but that would be excluded on your health insurance coverage. A good insurance broker will be able to help explain the schedule of benefits and exclusions.

There is an old adage that gives us sufficient warning: "The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."

Cesarean After Care - 3 Essential Cesarean After Care Tips

Whether this is your first c section or third one it is still a huge deal physically. While you are at the hospital, your cesarean after care will consist of mainly pain relief and wound monitoring. But what happens once you get home?

There is very little information given to Moms who have had c sections on how to care for themselves, their wound and cope with their baby. Here are the top three cesarean after care tips for once you get home because what you do when you leave the hospital will determine how well and how fast you recover.

1 - Support for You

For the first few weeks you will not be able to do many things that you once took for granted. You will need someone to help out with doing basic household things like hanging out washing, vacuuming, cooking and driving.

If you have more than one child this becomes critical to your recovery and to your ability to run the house. This is where people like your partner, mother, mother-in-law or other relative can really be of assistance in you Cesarean after care.

If you do not have anyone nearby to give you some help, then there are services available that will provide you with trained nurses and staff who will give you all the cesarean after care support that you may need. Hiring a local high school student or two is a great way of getting the help that you need cheaply.

2 - Wound Support

This is so important in your cesarean after care as over straining the muscles or your scar will cause damage and can lead to serious complications. This is especially important at times when your stomach is under direct pressure - like when you move, cough or laugh.

When supporting your tummy use both arms and a cushion against your tummy as you cough or when you move - especially when going from lying down to sitting and sitting to standing. When moving from lying down to sitting, make sure that you roll to the side first and gently raise yourself from there.

Another great support option that I found invaluable during my cesarean after care was a physical band that just kept the pressure on my tummy while the muscles were healing. Much like a support bandage that you can get for injured wrists or ankles. It just helped the damaged tissue to cope with everyday movement and really did help to speed up my recovery.

3 - Gentle Exercise

This may seem like a contradiction, but the biggest mistake that people make during their cesarean after care is to move as little as possible.

Believe me - I know that you have had major surgery, I know that it hurts and I also know that sometimes movement can make it hurt far worse. But you need to get moving. The longer you put it off, the slower and more painful your recovery will be.

We are not talking about you going into marathon training or anything like that, just small, slow gentle exercises and short walks. By doing these you will get the blood circulating and delivering all those essential nutrients to your damaged cells which will help them to heal faster and stronger for you.

You will also help all that fluid that has collected in your feet and legs to be reabsorbed faster.