Short Answer: Use A Broker!
If you are going to be thorough this is probably the hardest way to get Las Vegas Health Insurance. There are at least two approaches to getting health insurance on your own; call each health insurance provider individually or go to each health insurance providers web pages individually and run individual quotes. If you just use the Internet the first thing you have to find is a list of all the major medical Nevada health insurance providers. The next thing is to find the "individual quote" form, fill it out and get a quote from them. Now multiply this by several times since there are several major medical Nevada Health Insurance providers and you will have several quotes with several different plans on each quote. If you are still determined to "Do It Youself" you will need to decipher what the benefits of each plan are? What the numbers mean? What the costs are? What the co-payment is? What out-of-pocket maximum is? The list goes on and on. If however you get all that figured out and want to apply for one of the plans then you click the "apply" button, it may be electronic, or you may have to download an adobe paper document? The applications are usually anywhere from 8 pages to 27 pages (yes 27 pages!). Fill all of the application out either mail or fax the application in, be careful though sometimes people give to much information and this can cause you to get "rated up." A rate up is when the insurance company looks at your history and background to see what has gone on with you regarding health issues, this could be past procedures, prescription records, sicknesses etc. Then you wait to see if they require anymore information; doctors records, an interview with you maybe, it could be something that you didnt realize you were supposed to check or fill out on the application?
The Do It Yourself method is one of the longest and most confusing methods that a person could do, and typically you dont get the best value for your dollar and in these economic times we need to stretch our dollars as far as they can go.
Getting Nevada Health Insurance electronically (via the internet) by an all web based agency is ok, unless you want to talk to someone? If you have a question you can call in and get an answer especially if you havent purchased yet. After the purchase if you have another question you can call back and you will be routed through the phone bank and usually someone else will answer your question. If you have a third fourth and fifth question then you again can go through the phone bank, press 3 for this option and 2 for that option wait and get several different people answering your questions. This gets old quickly! There is virtually no Customer Service, thats not what I want. You are basically on your own especially if you have a discrepancy with what a doctor charged you and what your insurance says you should pay, (this happens all the time).
The lack of personal care, without personal care you can divulge to much information on a Health Insurance application and get rated up, so it can cost you more! Another big reason the lack of customer service after you purchase Nevada Health Insurance is a large part of why I would not purchase electronic health insurance.
I touched on this above getting a list of all the Nevada Health Insurance providers and contacting each one yourself takes allot of time and energy. A big question to look at, when you contact a provider directly who is the agent on the other end of the phone working for? Are they looking out for your best interest or for the company that they work for?
Who is the person you are talking with working for? You or the company? Is it cheaper to go direct or use a broker? Neither, the cost is exactly the same.
I would use an independent broker who can quote ALL the Major Medical Companies and prescribe the policy and benefits that best fit your wants and needs.
How much does using an independent broker cost you? Nothing the insurance company has built the brokers premium into the insurance costs. Regardless if you go direct, use an independent broker, the Nevada health insurance companies broker, or the electronic method the cost is exactly the same.
What benefits does using a broker provide me? An expert to describe and detail the major medical plans that are available to you, as an independent broker we are paid by the insurance company, but our boss is you, we work for you. If you have a question at any point in the process you call us and you will talk directly to us, no phone banks, no waiting on hold for 30 minutes, at worst you will have to leave a message and we will call you right back.
We believe in Outstanding Customer Service! This is what we want from companies that we do business with and this is what we strive to deliver when one of our customers is doing business with us. After the sale service is part of the services we provide, if you have a discrepancy we are the person to call, if you are looking at getting a procedure done call us we may be able to find it for you cheaper(if its an emergency call 911 or get to the hospital immediately, dont worry about contacting us until you are taken care of, then we will see how we can help you, we are your health insurance concierge. You say jump we say how high. Here is an example how we can help:
I saved a client $150 out of pocket when she had to pay for a left breast MRI. She was given a sheet by the doctor of places she could go get an MRI. Out of the three places on the sheet, she chose the hospital closest to her. I asked her when her appointment was. She said in three days. I called the hospital, the MRI was $389 her cost. I called the Reno Imaging Center, her cost was $225. Reno Imaging Center had better contracted rates and after I told her the difference and said that she's better off with the imaging center because they do images everyday regarding breasts, where the hospital only does a few MRI's a week, she cancelled the appointment and made a new one with the Reno Imaging Center. So, in short, I help you save money if you involve me. I'm here to help because I know what to look for!
A client called me and told me she got a bill for her lab work, which was $75 and she was going to send a check the next day. I asked her if she received the Explanation of Benefits yet. She said no. I said, wait for the Explanation of Benefits, that will determine what your contracted rate is. She said she thought she had to pay out of pocket for her lab work. I told her yes, that was true, but this insurance company would adjust it to the contracted rate. She called me two days later and said that the EOB said her new balance was $35.
These are just a coulpe of examples, I do have many more if you would like to hear them give me a call at: 1-888-268-4421
The Real Question: Why Wouldnt You Use Las Vegas Health Insurance Expert?
