Health Insurance

Health Insurance - Know What You're Getting Into

When it comes time to read a health insurance policy or shop for health insurance, weeding through the terminology can be a real challenge. For some people, it might be that simply trusting someone else's judgment about the "best policy" is easier than trying to weed through the terms on your own. But health insurance terminology isn't really a foreign language. All it takes is a little time to become acquainted with the words and phrases used in health insurance policies.

Typically, your health insurance policy will have a glossary attached. If not, or if you still don't fully understand, you'll find some additional help online. Start with one of the several websites that feature health insurance terminology.

One online source of health insurance terms is at InsWeb (www.insweb.com). You can browse through terms related to various types of insurance, including health insurance. For example, would you like to know who qualifies as a dependent, what EOB (explanation of benefits) is, or the definition of temporary disability? All these and other health insurance terms are listed in the glossary of InsWeb.

The Health Insurance Resource Center is another site that lists health insurance terminology. This site is user friendly and features many of the common phrases, all online at www.healthinsurance.org/insterms.html.

Many health insurance companies also offer glossaries online, including one of the big names in health insurance, Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Located online at www.bcbskc.com/eprise/main/Public/Content/Home/helpnews.html, this glossary is is very helpful to the average consumer.

If you're looking for more information than simply the glossary, you might want to check out the Health Insurance Wiz (www.healthinsurancewiz.com/html/health_ins_basics.html). You'll find an overview of some basic questions related to health insurance, including an article on types of health insurance policies and how they work. Another site that offers a comprehensive listing of health insurance information is at www.ahrq.gov. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has extensive information about the health insurance field in general. In addition to a glossary, this site includes articles about the need for health insurance and specific policies such as short-term disability policies.

Remember that it's perfectly acceptable to contact your health insurance company with questions about the specific words and phrases used in your policy. You are paying for this service and you have the right to understand what you're paying for. If you don't fully understand your health insurance policy, you're likely to be overlooking some benefits you could be using.

Take a look at the pages ahead to learn valuable information on Affordable Health Insurance, Low Cost Health Insurance, where to find Health Insurance Quotes, and find out about Dental Coverage.