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What if I have a question and want to speak with a representative? Please dial 888-300-9583 and we will be happy to answer any question you may
have. Alternatively email us at
questions@ilmedlan.com and we will respond within 24 hours. Why is individual or family health insurance often cheaper than insurance at employers? Individual health insurance products typically cost one third to one half of
group insurance. This price difference is mostly due to medical underwriting,
whereby insurance companies can deny or limit coverage based on an applicant’s
health status. In addition, individual and family health insurance policies
often have high deductibles, limited maternity and limited prescription drug
coverage. As you shop for health individual or family health insurance please
pay particular attention to these items. Can children over 18 be insured on a family health insurance policy? Family Health Insurance companies will typically insure children of the
policyholder through age 23 if they are enrolled as full time students.
Otherwise they are required to obtain their own insurance when reaching age 18.
How does Health Insurance work? As part of the application process, the insurance company will request that you fill out a health statement for each member of the family that you intend to insure. Based on that information the company will make one of the following decisions:
Depending on the insurer, 75-80 percent of applications are accepted without being rated up or having exclusions. In the five states (New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine)
that do not allow medical underwriting, individual insurance prices are
substantially higher than group policies and many insurers avoid the market. What is an exclusion or preexisting condition? An insurance underwriter may accept an application but exclude coverage for
“preexisting conditions.” For example, you may have had recent knee surgery and
the insurance carrier will accept your application excluding all claims related
to your injured knee. Such exclusions may last for a specific period of time or
the life of the policy. COBRA is 1985 federal legislation that requires employers with more than 20
employees to allow employees that leave the company to continue their insurance
in the company plan for 18 to 36 months. The employee is required to reimburse
the employer for the cost of the insurance plus up to a 2 percent administrative
fee. How does age, gender and tobacco use affect the price of health insurance? The older you are the higher the cost of the policy. Gender has less impact
except if there is maternity coverage. And finally tobacco use may increase the
cost of the policy up to 35% for certain insurers. How do I know if I am getting the best price? Health insurers are required to file their health plan prices in each state
that they do business. Insurers then must sell each benefit plan at the filed
price. You will not find a health policy on our website at a better price.
Guaranteed. Each carrier has different rules. Some increase prices on January 1 of each
year, regardless of when you sign up. Others increase prices on the policy
anniversary. And some will also increase prices on the policyholder’s
birthday. To determine a particular insurance carrier’s policy, please call us.
How long does it take to apply? When will my effective date be? For most carriers we sell at The Cuppini Group you can apply online or print out the application, complete it and mail it in. Once a completed application is received by the inurance carrier, it typically takes two weeks to be accepted. Some carriers only have effective dates on the first of the month. Others
will start coverage during the month. If your requested start date cannot be
accommodated by the insurer, you will be alerted online to the available start
dates for that insurer. Can children over 18 be insured on a family insurance policy? Insurance companies will typically insure children of the policyholder
through age 23 if they are enrolled as full time students. Otherwise they are
required to obtain their own insurance when reaching age 18. Why should I use The Cuppini Group? You cannot get better prices than at The Cuppini Group. Guaranteed by law! We
are experts in individual health insurance and understand the complexities of
the business. That expertise can help you save money buy purchasing the best
policy for your situation. How do I know which carrier is right for me? There are many elements to consider when choosing an insurance carrier, including price, physician network and benefit design. Some carriers have lower prices initially but raise them quickly. Depending on the length of time you expect to hold the policy will help determine if it is right for you. Some carriers have smaller networks and than others. Some and certain
carriers require referrals to see physician specialists. We can help you sort
through these items to choose the best insurance carrier for you. How do I choose the right plan? You need to determine what benefits are important to you. Below we have listed some of the more important points to consider.
When you are evaluating plans on our site, keep these in mind. They will help
you make the right choice. Our site is designed so that these are clearly
spelled out for whatever plan you choose. A Health Savings Account, or HSA combines high deductible health insurance
with a tax-favored savings account. Money in the savings account helps pay the
deductible. Once the deductible is met, the insurance starts paying. Money left
in the savings account earns interest and is yours to keep. There is no “use it
or lose it” restriction with an HSA. Anyone who is not entitled to Medicare can accumulate tax-favored savings for
healthcare needs. You must have a qualified high deductible plan to receive the
benefits. Such a plan must have a minimum deductible for $1,050 for a single or
$2,100 for a family. How does the prescription drug benefit work? The prescription drug benefit for individual and family plans varies
greatly. Some plans limit the annual benefit and others have a deductible.
Please closely review the drug benefit before selecting a health plan. How do you protect my privacy? Shopping with The Cuppini Group is safe. As your health insurance agent, we're committed to protecting your privacy and the information you provide to us. The Cuppini Group will not sell trade or give away your personal information to anyone, except those specifically involved in the referral or processing of your health insurance quote or application. We use industry leading technologies to ensure the security of all the information under our control.
If you have any questions about our privacy policy or how your personal
information is protected at The Cuppini Group, contact us by email at
privacy@ilmedplan.com. Will using your service cost me anything? All the services offered by The Cuppini Group are provided at no extra cost
to you, the consumer. If you buy a health insurance plan through The Cuppini Group, you'll pay the regular monthly premium to the health insurance
company you chose, but you'll pay nothing to us. Our fees are paid by the
insurance companies in the form of commissions, which are built into the premium
amount. Why should I shop with you rather than buying an insurance plan elsewhere? By combining the localized knowledge of a neighborhood agent with the broad experience and comprehensive understanding of a national health insurance agency, we are able to offer our customers:
Back to top How can I view quotes and shop online through your website? Shopping with us is simple. After entering your zip code and some basic
information about yourself, your family or your business, you'll be provided
with a list of health insurance plans available in your area. You may refine
these results or sort and organize them in various ways. You'll also have the
opportunity to select several of them at a time to make more detailed plan
comparisons. Once you've selected a plan, you'll fill out an application,
providing more information about yourself, your family or your employees, and
about your health history. Once your application is complete, The Cuppini Group
will work with the health insurance company to help you receive a quick coverage
determination. HMOs are managed care plans that provide care for enrollees by contracting with specific health care providers to provide specified benefits. Many HMOs require enrollees to see a primary care physician (PCP) chosen by the member who will refer them to a specialist if deemed necessary. HMO plans often do not include deductibles, but co-pays are charged per office. HMO plans typically allow a member to have lower out-of-pocket healthcare costs, but require the member to forego some choice and flexibility with regard to selecting physicians and hospitals. Additionally, HMOs do not cover non-emergent services received from providers
outside the network. HMOs do not require members to submit claims to the
insurance carrier. The amount that you may be required to pay for covered medical services after
you have satisfied any plan deductible. Coinsurance is typically expressed as a
percentage of the allowable charge for a service rendered by a healthcare
provider. For example, if your insurance company covers 80% of the allowable
charge for a specific service, you may be required to cover the remaining 20% as
coinsurance. Please note that definitions vary across insurance companies. What is a PPO (Preferred Provider Organization)? If a member of a PPO, you will seek treatment from an approved network of
providers, or you can see healthcare providers outside the network. These
healthcare providers have been contracted by the insurance company to provide
services at a discounted rate. Normally you can see any doctor or specialist
within the network at your own discretion, and will not be required to select a
PCP. Usually you will pay small co-pay and satisfy a deductible before benefits
are paid. If you go outside the PPO network for healthcare services, your share
of the bill will be higher. What are “short-term policies” and are they a good option? Short term health insurance is a catastrophic health policy intended to last
anywhere from one to twelve months. It requires a very short underwriting
questionnaire so it’s much easier to obtain that regular insurance; however,
pre-existing conditions in the last five years are not covered. We would only
recommend these plans for one to two months time frame. Often a major medical
plan can be obtained for not much more money.
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