Insurance World

Perhaps there is hope for fixing the healthcare crisis after all. Hillary Rodham Clinton, author of a failed attempt to overhaul healthcare in the 90s, and Newt Gingrich, engineer of the 90’s Republican Revolution largely brought on by Clinton’s failed attempt, sat down together recently at a National Press Club session entitled “Ceasefire on Health Care” to discuss what they just might agree on.

And they did agree indeed on several issues including, much to the surprise of some, Gingrich’s proposal to “voucherize” Medicaid. “There is enough money in the system right now to cover the uninsured,” said Clinton. It’s not that the meeting was that earth-shattering, but perhaps it is a sign of a growing trend to piecemeal fixes to the healthcare crisis rather than starting from scratch.

That we are, and have been, in a healthcare crisis is clear when you consider that over 44 million Americans have no insurance of any type. The reason for most is that they simply cannot afford any kind of coverage. Attempts to provide universal coverage or cause significant changes through federal mandates have failed.

According to the Bush administration, the solution would be moving healthcare toward new association-based health plans, including HSAs (Health Savings Accounts) and consumer-driven health plans. “To make insurance more affordable, Congress must act to address rapidly rising health care costs,” says President George W. Bush. “Small businesses should be able to band together and negotiate for lower insurance rates so they can cover more workers with health insurance—I urge you to pass association health plans.”

The use of association-based health plans is finally starting to catch on. These plans offer solutions for those who previously thought themselves to be “uninsurable.” A small but increasing number of people are taking a look at these affordable plans.

One of the newer and more popular plans, the USA+ Guaranteed Acceptance Plan, includes a myriad of choices and benefits for its members. Membership in the plan allows members access to hospital indemnity benefits, prescription benefits, and disability benefits. It also carries provisions for medical, dental, accident, and vision care. It even includes several lifestyle benefits including road side service, travel benefits, and discounts on shopping, dining, and movies.

“The USA+ Guaranteed Acceptance Plan is a product whose time has come,” says Richard J. Monello, President and CEO of Custom Health Plans, Inc. His company is a leader in providing the new product recently made available. “It is a true blanket guaranteed acceptance benefit package,” adds Monello. “The best thing is that everyone is accepted, even those with pre-existing conditions.”

These new health plans, in addition to being great for consumers, are also beneficial for agents and brokers. “For those agents looking to strengthen their portfolio and provide healthcare coverage to the uninsurable, the USA+ Guaranteed Acceptance Health Plan is truly a first-of-it’s kind product,” says Jason A. Milz, Executive Vice-President of Custom Health Plans, Inc. “At last, there is a product that will address their growing databases of uninsured Americans and that will pay them a level commission for the life of the plan.”

Monello’s company, Custom Health Plans, offers several different membership packages with different types and levels of benefits. “Finally, there is a solution for the 44 million uninsurable Americans who have no other options,” says Monello.

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For brochures and further information or to set up an interview with Richard J. Monello for a story, please contact Jay Wilke at 727-443-7115, ext. 223 or at jayw@event-management.com.

When it comes to selecting life insurance policies the Internet is the place to look for the best offers. Life insurance companies have flocked to the Internet in recent times, supplying online life insurance hunters with an extensive choice of life policies. The growth in the number of life insurance companies servicing life insurance polices has made a significant impact on life insurance premiums too, bringing them down to record low levels. Basic life insurance cover can now be acquired for less than 50p per day, and in some instances for as little as 20p per day.

Besides choice and price, the Internet also offers convenience to people who are looking for life insurance polices. Life insurance information can be gathered and insurance quotes asked for at any time of the day or night. If it suits you to search out information on life insurance policies at five in the morning, then life insurance companies on the Internet are there for you at five in the morning.

Choosing between life insurance policies

There are four types of life insurance policy available from most life insurance companies. These are level term life insurance, level term life insurance with critical illness, reducing term life insurance and reducing term life insurance with critical illness.

Level term life insurance is the most basic type of the four policies. It guarantees pay out upon death of the policyholder should he / she die during the term of the policy. The premiums remain the same throughout the life cover as does the amount paid out in the event of death. It is important to note that many level term policies have an upper age limit after which the life company becomes free of its obligation to pay out.

Reducing term life insurance, which is also known as mortgage life insurance, works a little differently to level term policies. These are shorter policies that are normally taken out over the same term as a mortgage and guarantees pay out in the event of death during the term. However, unlike level term insurance the amount paid out on a claim reduces in line with the outstanding mortgage balance, so ensuring that loved ones left behind are not in danger of losing the roof over their heads.

Both level term life & reducing term life policies can be coupled with a critical illness product. This ensures that the policyholder and their family have an income for a certain period of time should the policyholder become critically ill and be unable to return to work. Critical illness policies also come with life insurance payment waivers so you don’t have to worry about your life insurance premium payments while you are in a critically ill state.