Online Degree Programs: How to Tell the Good From the Bad

Advances in technology over the past decade have propelled colleges and universities into the realm of online education, creating a crowded market for students considering an online degree.

But not all programs are a safe bet.

[Discover why online education may transform higher ed.]

Online colleges have been criticized for putting profits over students; some have even been the subject of lawsuits claiming misrepresentation or fraud. To avoid scams, students need to be savvy consumers and do their research before signing up for an online degree program, experts say.

Why health insurance Is Important?

Getting hurt or sick isn’t something a person wants to happen, but unexpected medical events do occur. Having a health insurance plan helps pay for some of those unexpected costs, and provides financial protection against ongoing large medical bills. Here are some of the advantages of health insurance:

With the passing of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, there is no longer a limit on how much your health insurance will pay. Before Obamacare was law, health insurance policies

had a lifetime maximum of $1 million, $2 million, or sometimes $5 million dollars. Someone with ongoing cancer surgeries and treatment could hit that $1 million mark easily, and then be left without health insurance unless they enrolled in an expensive, high risk insurance program. Today those barriers are gone, and individuals who need health insurance to treat chronic illnesses are able to get the care they need without worrying about hitting a maximum amount on their healthcare plan.

health insurance companies

can no longer cancel an individual’s health policy because they have a chronic disease, or discriminate against individuals with a critical condition and charge them more for health insurance. There is equality for all under the Affordable Care Act.

Anyone with a pre-existing condition can still buy health insurance, and should buy health insurance, to help combat conditions that need extra medical care, and provide some financial backing to help pay for doctor and hospital visits.

insurance companies offer network services that cost far less that out-of-network physicians and hospitals, making healthcare more affordable for policyholders.

Preventive services are now covered for free under the Affordable Care Act mandate. This is especially helpful for screenings, vaccines and checkups, and you don’t have to meet your deductible in order to get these services at no cost.

Cost assistance is available to help lower the monthly expense of health insurance. Know as a tax credit or tax subsidy, federal money helps those that make between 100%-400% of the Federal Poverty Level. (For an individual that is between $11,770 – $47,080, depending on the state.) With cost assistance, individuals paid an average of less than $100 a month for a plan on the marketplace in 2015. That is a $268 savings each month.

If you carry a qualified health insurance plan

, you won’t have to pay a penalty for not having health insurance. In 2016 the fine for failing to have health insurance is $695 per person in the household, $347.50 per child, or 2.5% of your total household income, whichever is greater.

There are many great advantages of health insurance insurance, and money-saving opportunities to get covered.

Tagged Affordable Care Act, health insurance, healthcare plan, Obamacare

Steep escalation in medical care cost has constrained many to deprive themselves of quality healthcare. health insurance comprehensively protects us from the entire spectrum of diseases by making treatment affordable and also enabling us to gain tax benefits.

What is a health insurance?

health insurance or Mediclaim Policy is a type of insurance policy that covers the cost of your medical treatment and more. The scope of a health cover depends on the type of health insurance policy

you are choosing. In general a health insurance covers Hospitalization expenses incurred owing to sickness or accidents and also covers the following:

a) Pre-hospitalization expenses like medical tests, consultation fees etc prior to getting hospitalized

b) Ambulance cost

c) Costs pertaining to hospitalization like room, surgery, diagnosis and other charges

d) Recuperation charges or post-hospitalization charges after getting released from hospital like doctor visit, medicines etc H

health insurance benefits

Quality treatment, hospitalization and other healthcare facilities have become highly expensive. A single major ailment can drain away your entire lifeâ€™s savings. health insurance policy reduces significantly the burden of expenditure and brings quality treatment within your reaches.

health insurance functioning

Medical health insurance policy customarily comes in annual mode and is required to be renewed each year. The policy document explicitly states Exclusions and waiting period. The insurance benefit

can be claimed in two ways.

Cashless: Health insurers enter into agreements with major hospitals to facilitate direct billing. They settle all admissible claims with the hospital either by their in-house Claim settlement administration or through Third Party Administrator (TPA). You are just required to produce the cashless card of the insurance company

at hospitalâ€™s clearance desk. The subsequent treatment proceeds in cashless manner for the Insured subject to insurerâ€™s approval.

Reimbursement: Hospitals not falling under the ambit of insurance provider

â€™s Coverage require you to make the entire payment. You can then submit valid treatment papers along with the claim form to Insurer for the Reimbursement of admissible expenses. Important considerations while buying medical health insurance plan

Consciously introspect about your health needs counting in the future exigencies and then opt for the plan closest to your requirements.
health insurance policy

should be bought at younger age itself as people are finding it tough to get coverage after 45 years, when the body is more prone to contacting major ailments.

Family floater cuts down the Premium cost by extending coverage for entire family in a single cover

Always opt for larger coverage as healthcare Inflation is skyrocketing.

Unbiased advice from the health advisor should be sought and always compare health insurance policy online to make an informed decision regarding correct plan.

You should carefully go through the policyâ€™s terms and conditions to remain comprehensively covered.

Only opt for lifetime renewal policies to prevent your plan from getting discontinued at later stage. A plan perfectly suiting your needs may not be available and any delay can Risk your coverage significantly.

You should never hide your medical background while filling the form to avail the coverage for Pre-existing diseases after a fixed waiting period.

Cashless mode will not come handy in emergencies as processing and approval takes about 5-6 hours

An informed and conscious decision on your part regarding purchasing the right health insurance plan will go a long way in ensuring optimum health.

If you have heart disease or stroke, health insurance can help. You’re more likely to get the care you need, have shorter hospital stays and get healthier compared to people without health insurance.

Heart disease and stroke can be very expensive; in fact they are leading causes of medical bankruptcy. health insurance can help you avoid being stuck with large medical bills.

If you have health insurance you can:

Go to the doctor for preventive services and get the care that you need to stay healthy and prevent serious illnesses;
Be treated sooner if you or one of your family member get sick or diagnosed with a heart condition; and
Avoid having the condition worsen.

Understand Your Options

health insurance can be confusing and overwhelming. The good news is that there are several resources that can help you understand and compare health plans:

Summary of Benefits and Coverage: If you have a private health plan, you should get a standardized, easy-to-understand form called the Summary of Benefits and Coverage. You can use it to help you compare different insurance options

. Ask your insurer for it if they don’t provide it.

To see a sample of this short form and learn more about how it can help you, Consumer Reports magazine has developed this helpful guide.
Glossary of
Why health insurance is Important
Getting hurt or sick isn’t something a person wants to happen, but unexpected medical events do occur. Having a health insurance plan helps pay for some of those unexpected costs, and provides financial protection against ongoing large medical bills. Here are some of the advantages of health insurance:

With the passing of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, there is no longer a limit on how much your health insurance will pay
. Before Obamacare was law, health insurance policies had a lifetime maximum of $1 million, $2 million, or sometimes $5 million dollars. Someone with ongoing cancer surgeries and treatment could hit that $1 million mark easily, and then be left without health insurance unless they enrolled in an expensive, high risk insurance program. Today those barriers are gone, and individuals who need health insurance to treat chronic illnesses are able to get the care they need without worrying about hitting a maximum amount on their healthcare plan.
health insurance companies can no longer cancel an individual’s health policy because they have a chronic disease, or discriminate against individuals with a critical condition and charge them more for health insurance. There is equality for all under the Affordable Care Act.
Anyone with a pre-existing condition can still buy health insurance, and should buy health insurance, to help combat conditions that need extra medical care, and provide some financial backing to help pay for doctor and hospital visits.
insurance companies offer network services that cost far less that out-of-network physicians and hospitals, making healthcare more affordable for policyholders.
Preventive services are now covered for free under the Affordable Care Act mandate. This is especially helpful for screenings, vaccines and checkups, and you don’t have to meet your deductible in order to get these services at no cost.
Cost assistance is available to help lower the monthly expense of health insurance. Know as a tax credit or tax subsidy, federal money helps those that make between 100%-400% of the Federal Poverty Level. (For an individual that is between $11,770 – $47,080, depending on the state.) With cost assistance, individuals paid an average of less than $100 a month for a plan on the marketplace in 2015. That is a $268 savings each month.
If you carry a qualified health insurance plan, you won’t have to pay a penalty for not having health insurance. In 2016 the fine for failing to have health insurance is $695 per person in the household, $347.50 per child, or 2.5% of your total household income, whichever is greater.
There are many great advantages of health insurance insurance, and money-saving opportunities to get covered.

Tagged Affordable Care Act, health insurance, healthcare plan, Obamacare

Steep escalation in medical care cost has constrained many to deprive themselves of quality healthcare. health insurance comprehensively protects us from the entire spectrum of diseases by making treatment affordable and also enabling us to gain tax benefits.

What is a health insurance?
health insurance or Mediclaim Policy is a type of insurance policy that covers the cost of your medical treatment and more. The scope of a health cover depends on the type of health insurance policy you are choosing. In general a health insurance covers Hospitalization expenses incurred owing to sickness or accidents and also covers the following:

a) Pre-hospitalization expenses like medical tests, consultation fees etc prior to getting hospitalized

b) Ambulance cost

c) Costs pertaining to hospitalization like room, surgery, diagnosis and other charges

d) Recuperation charges or post-hospitalization charges after getting released from hospital like doctor visit, medicines etc H

ealth insurance benefits
Quality treatment, hospitalization and other healthcare facilities have become highly expensive. A single major ailment can drain away your entire lifeâ€™s savings. health insurance policy reduces significantly the burden of expenditure and brings quality treatment within your reaches.

health insurance functioning
Medical health insurance policy customarily comes in annual mode and is required to be renewed each year. The policy document explicitly states Exclusions and waiting period. The insurance benefit can be claimed in two ways.

Cashless: Health insurers enter into agreements with major hospitals to facilitate direct billing. They settle all admissible claims with the hospital either by their in-house Claim settlement administration or through Third Party Administrator (TPA). You are just required to produce the cashless card of the insurance company at hospitalâ€™s clearance desk. The subsequent treatment proceeds in cashless manner for the Insured subject to insurerâ€™s approval.

Reimbursement: Hospitals not falling under the ambit of insurance providerâ€™s Coverage require you to make the entire payment. You can then submit valid treatment papers along with the claim form to Insurer for the Reimbursement of admissible expenses. Important considerations while buying medical health insurance plan

Consciously introspect about your health needs counting in the future exigencies and then opt for the plan closest to your requirements.
health insurance policy should be bought at younger age itself as people are finding it tough to get coverage after 45 years, when the body is more prone to contacting major ailments.
Family floater cuts down the Premium cost by extending coverage for entire family in a single cover
Always opt for larger coverage as healthcare Inflation is skyrocketing.
Unbiased advice from the health advisor should be sought and always compare health insurance policy online to make an informed decision regarding correct plan.
You should carefully go through the policyâ€™s terms and conditions to remain comprehensively covered.
Only opt for lifetime renewal policies to prevent your plan from getting discontinued at later stage. A plan perfectly suiting your needs may not be available and any delay can Risk your coverage significantly.
You should never hide your medical background while filling the form to avail the coverage for Pre-existing diseases after a fixed waiting period.
Cashless mode will not come handy in emergencies as processing and approval takes about 5-6 hours
An informed and conscious decision on your part regarding purchasing the right health insurance plan will go a long way in ensuring optimum health.

If you have heart disease or stroke, health insurance can help. You’re more likely to get the care you need, have shorter hospital stays and get healthier compared to people without health insurance.

Heart disease and stroke can be very expensive; in fact they are leading causes of medical bankruptcy. health insurance can help you avoid being stuck with large medical bills.

If you have health insurance you can:

Go to the doctor for preventive services and get the care that you need to stay healthy and prevent serious illnesses;
Be treated sooner if you or one of your family member get sick or diagnosed with a heart condition; and
Avoid having the condition worsen.
Understand Your Options

health insurance can be confusing and overwhelming. The good news is that there are several resources that can help you understand and compare health plans:

Summary of Benefits and Coverage: If you have a private health plan, you should get a standardized, easy-to-understand form called the Summary of Benefits and Coverage. You can use it to help you compare different insurance options. Ask your insurer for it if they don’t provide it.

To see a sample of this short form and learn more about how it can help you, Consumer Reports magazine has developed this helpful guide.

Glossary of health insurance Terms: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed a glossary of common insurance terms, such as deductible, copayments and out-of-pocket limits.
Reading up about health insurance can take a little time, but it will pay off — for your heart health!

Paying for Health Care or health insurance

Starting October 1, new financial assistance called the health insurance Premium Tax Credit will be available to help make insurance premiums affordable for those who need coverage. The website Healthcare.gov will provide a single location where you find out whether you are eligible for the premium tax credit and shop for and compare the different health insurance plans available to you in your state. Check out Healthcare.gov if you would like to learn more about the new options available October 1 and what you need to do to get ready. Meanwhile, if you need coverage immediately and would like to search for and compare plans available now, go to finder.healthcare.gov to start your search.

Some hospitals, health centers and clinics provide medical care, prescription drugs, dental care, and other services regardless of your ability to pay. Anyone may use a community health center, whether you have health insurance or not. How much you pay will depend on your income. Find a community health center near you.

The Foundation for Health Coverage Education’s website, also includes state-by-state information on different coverage options or sources of financial assistance that may be available to you.

Benefits of health plans
Financial stability
Emergency medical expenses may result in severe financial distress. You may have to dip into your savings or sell your assets to meet such expenses. When you buy a health plan, you are assured of financial stability during an illness.

Best treatment
You may have to compromise on the treatment plan in case of a health condition due to lack of funds. With the best health insurance plan, you have the assurance of procuring the best treatment to overcome any health condition.

Choice of insurance plans
Different insurance companies offer various types of health policies. Opting for the best health insurance available in India may be confusing. HDFC ERGO has a variety of insurance plans. You may avail of a plan that specifically caters to your requirements.

Avail of health coverage so that you may take benefit of all the health insurance advantages because safeguarding yourself and your family against health problems is the best investment you will ever make.
Terms: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed a glossary of common insurance terms, such as deductible, copayments and out-of-pocket limits.
Reading up about health insurance can take a little time, but it will pay off — for your heart health!

Paying for Health Care or health insurance

Starting October 1, new financial assistance called the health insurance Premium Tax Credit will be available to help make insurance premiums affordable for those who need coverage. The website Healthcare.gov will provide a single location where you find out whether you are eligible for the premium tax credit and shop for and compare the different health insurance plans available to you in your state. Check out Healthcare.gov if you would like to learn more about the new options available October 1 and what you need to do to get ready. Meanwhile, if you need coverage immediately and would like to search for and compare plans available now, go to finder.healthcare.gov to start your search.

Some hospitals, health centers and clinics provide medical care, prescription drugs, dental care, and other services regardless of your ability to pay. Anyone may use a community health center, whether you have health insurance or not. How much you pay will depend on your income. Find a community health center near you.

The Foundation for Health Coverage Education’s website, also includes state-by-state information on different coverage options or sources of financial assistance that may be available to you.

Benefits Of Health Plans

Financial stability

Emergency medical expenses may result in severe financial distress. You may have to dip into your savings or sell your assets to meet such expenses. When you buy a health plan, you are assured of financial stability during an illness.

Best treatment

You may have to compromise on the treatment plan in case of a health condition due to lack of funds. With the best health insurance plan, you have the assurance of procuring the best treatment to overcome any health condition.

Choice of insurance plans

Different insurance companies offer various types of health policies. Opting for the best health insurance available in India may be confusing. HDFC ERGO has a variety of insurance plans. You may avail of a plan that specifically caters to your requirements.

Avail of health coverage so that you may take benefit of all the health insurance advantages because safeguarding yourself and your family against health problems is the best investment you will ever make.