Group Health Insurance

In order to have a secured life, it is important to make sure that one has affordable health insurance. Not everyone can afford to be hospitalized in this day and age, what with the high cost of medications and diagnostic tests. It is therefore a puzzle why despite this, most people continue their habits that they know would be detrimental to their health in the long run. These include consuming fatty, unhealthy food, which leads to obesity in some individuals, cigarette smoking, excessive drinking of alcohol, lack of exercise and using prohibited drugs.

Following a healthy lifestyle does not automatically assure one of a disease and illness free life. No matter how good a person takes care of himself, unforeseen things can still happen. The healthiest person you know might wake up the next day feeling dizzy and weak, and discover that he is a diabetic. People are getting sick everyday, yet salaries are not increasing. Not everyone can afford individual health insurance but fortunately, some companies and organizations offer group health insurance.

Group health insurance policy is a policy that covers the medical expenses of many people, instead of just a single person. With a group health care insurance policy, all eligible people are covered regardless of age or physical condition. Thess group health insurance policies are usually more successful. Group members are not as scrutinized like those with individual health insurance programs.

The advantages of group health insurance include cheaper costs because the company can afford to offer low rates because there are many people on the plan. Many private employers also offer group health insurance. There are no physical exams or history forms to fill out.

In group health insurance, the insured can readily get maternity coverage. It also makes sure that all employees of a business have health insurance plans. Even those who were weeded out in individual health insurance plans can apply for a group health insurance plan. These are usually the people who have pre-existing medical condition.

The disadvantage of group health insurance over individual health insurance program is that their health care policy is not customized and the insured gets the same policy his group gets. Unlike individual health insurance program, the insured does not have the freedom to include or exclude provisions in group health insurance. The choice is also limited because group health insurance plan is designed for the entire group and not for just one specific person. The insured in this group health insurance plan cannot choose the terms in the group health insurance policy. If one resigns and transfers to another employer, he also loses the group health insurance plan. Recently, there are some new group insurance plans that can be transferred to other employers but this is not the norm.

In contrast to group health insurance plan, individual health insurance programs give the individual a policy where most of his requirements and needs are fulfilled. These plans are customized and also more expensive than group health coverage. A group health insurance plan may give a much more generalized coverage to the insured but it is also much more affordable.