The Healthcare Labyrinth: A Guide to Navigating Health Plans and Fixing American Health Insurance PDF Download

Author: Marc S Ryan
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781645439936
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 528

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Book Description
The Healthcare Labyrinth is not just a comprehensive guide to navigating health plans--it offers a blueprint for fixing our broken healthcare system. The American health insurance system is anything but simple to maneuver. Health plan enrollees become entangled in an intricate and opaque maze of confusion, often resulting in frustration, regret, and deep debt. In The Healthcare Labyrinth, health plan and healthcare technology veteran Marc S. Ryan seeks to demystify the U.S. healthcare system, helping Americans become wiser consumers and allowing them to navigate the maze with more confidence and certainty. Marc walks through how the current system operates, tracing the dysfunction, high costs, and lack of quality to three major issues: --a lack of affordable universal access; --little focus on wellness, prevention, and care management; and --outrageous pricing, especially compared to other developed nations. Using his decades of experience, Marc outlines a bipartisan blueprint to transform America's unique system without upending the employer-based system. He relies on leading academic, research, and mainstream media sources from across the political spectrum to examine the U.S. healthcare system and compare it to those of other developed nations.

Author: Lisa Zamosky
Publisher: Apress
ISBN: 1430249536
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 179

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Book Description
Healthcare is changing and you need to know how—and what to do about it. Getting good medical care shouldn’t be so confusing—or so costly. Healthcare, Insurance, and You simplifies the many confusing details about our healthcare system so you can make informed decisions. Result? Better health at lower cost. With the advent of healthcare reform, things are changing—especially when it comes to insurance. Most people will now have to buy insurance. Do you know where to get a policy or what to look for in one? Did you know more people will now qualify for free or subsidized healthcare? Even if you get insurance through work, you'll face new choices that you'd better understand to maintain your peace of mind. As this book shows, the failure to understand how insurance and the healthcare system work can have a major impact on your physical and financial health. Healthcare, Insurance, and You is an easy-to-use guide that explains the main challenges you face when trying to get excellent healthcare: choosing the best insurance policy for your situation, finding the right doctor or hospital, buying prescription drugs the least expensive way, picking out the right Medicare plan, or fighting for your rights when dealing with insurers or medical providers. Healthcare, Insurance, and You includes tips, resources, and strategies for navigating the healthcare system and avoiding common mistakes so you can get the best healthcare for you, your family, or your organization without breaking the bank. This book shows you: How to choose a health plan that best meets your medical and financial needs, including new options under the Affordable Care Act Ways to cut through red tape and fight billing errors and claim denials What businesses need to know about offering—or not offering—insurance to employees How to plan ahead for a disability or for end-of-life care Healthcare costs rank high on the list of money concerns Americans have. And when it comes to getting great healthcare for you and your family and avoiding crippling medical bills, knowledge is power. Healthcare, Insurance, and You is a practical guide that explains the complicated healthcare system in plain language—and puts the power of good health back in your hands. What you’ll learn The impact of the Affordable Care Act on your healthcare and your finances How to take advantage of new health insurance exchanges and tax credits How to choose a health plan that best meets your medical and financial needs How to advocate for yourself, fight billing errors and denied claims, and know where to turn for help How to choose a doctor and hospital based on quality, not hype How to avoid common mistakes that can cost you big--or even put you into bankruptcy How health reform affects businesses and how they can reduce healthcare expenditures Who this book is for Consumers of healthcare in the United States, including both individuals and small businesses buying coverage for employees. Table of Contents A New Healthcare System Buying Health Insurance on your own Paying for Health Insurance Health Insurance at Work Cutting Medical Costs Buying Prescription Drugs You Against the Healthcare System Medicare Taking Charge of Your Healthcare Future Consumer Assistance Programs and State Departments of Insurance

Author: Gregory Billy
Publisher: Cognella Press
ISBN: 9781516530458
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 172

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Book Description
The American healthcare system is vital, vibrant, and indispensable. However, it's also complex, and can be difficult to navigate as an everyday consumer. How does medical insurance work? How do you learn more about the prescription your doctor recommended? How does aging and long-term care factor into your personal health plan? Medical Handbook: A Consumer Guide for Navigating the Medical System equips you with the fundamental informa

Author: Elisabeth T. Askin
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
ISBN: 1975200047
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 191

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Book Description
Described in the New York Times as “an astonishingly clear ‘user’s manual’ that explains our health care system and the policies that will change it,” The Health Care Handbook, by Drs. Elisabeth Askin and Nathan Moore, offers a practical, neutral, and readable overview of the U.S. health care system in a compact, convenient format. The fully revised third edition provides concise coverage on health care delivery, insurance and economics, policy, and reform—all critical components of the system in which health care professionals work. Written in a conversational and accessible tone, this popular, highly regarded handbook serves as a “one stop shop” for essential facts, systems, concepts, and analysis of the U.S. health care system, providing the tools you need to confidently evaluate current health care policy and controversies.

Author: C. W. Conrad
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 1984578731
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 193

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Book Description
When you hear the words "Health Insurance" do you break out into a cold-sweat? When you call your insurance company are you more confused and frustrated about your coverage after you hang up? You are not alone. Some studies say that more than one in four people in America have avoided care or treatment because they were unsure of what their health insurance covered, and a surprisingly large number of people were unsure if they even had health insurance. Health Insurance in America, a consumer's guide, is the first comprehensive health insurance guide written specifically for you; the consumer, to help you navigate the complex and often confusing world of Health Insurance, and make better decisions. It's written in easy to understand language and filled with real-life examples. Regardless of your prior experience or knowledge of insurance, you will find this guide to be an important part of your library. Now includes a look at the health insurance impact during the coronavirus pandemic of 2019/2020.

Author: Marilynn Drohan
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 154

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Book Description
When choosing the right health insurance plan for your specific needs and budget, it's important to consider all the options available to you. However, we understand that this is easier said than done and that there are a lot of confusing factors to keep in mind. Whether you're trying to find the best type of plan to choose through your employer-sponsored coverage, or you're just beginning to look into your individual health insurance options, this guide aims to break down the basics and provide you with additional resources to supplement your insurance journey. This is a useful, factual, non-partisan look at the current system for health insurance and getting health care in the U.S., including practical tips to help you save money on your health care, whether you have insurance or not. It is especially intended for self-employed people, freelancers, small-business owners, and others without access to employment-based group health insurance to understand all of the options and ways to save money. However, anyone can benefit from the useful tips and tricks as well as the overviews of important laws and issues for context. This well-researched book is full of valuable information, insights, and money-saving tips, and includes topics such as: -Different types of health insurance demystified and explained in a straightforward way -Practical advice on how to evaluate health plan options -How the Affordable Care Act of 2010 affected health insurance -How the premium subsidies work for individual insurance -Pros and cons of health care options and links for further reading -Interesting factoids on the continuing upward trend in healthcare costs and potential solutions Some of the many programs and options discussed include: -Individual insurance from the marketplace and outside the marketplace -Employment-based insurance for small and large businesses -Health savings accounts and ways to use them -Government programs including Medicaid, Medicare, and military heath programs -Short-term health insurance, accident insurance, and dental and vision insurance -Healthcare cost-sharing ministries -Paying cash, negotiating discounts, concierge medicine, and direct primary care -Telemedicine, medical tourism, discount cards, health clinics, and charity care

Author: Richard Epstein
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 0313388970
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 224

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Book Description
A comprehensive guide designed to help consumers understand the American health insurance system so that they can obtain the benefits to which they are entitled. Epstein explains the ins and outs of both new and traditional health insurance plans, including traditional individual and group policies, HMOs and other types of managed care plans, self-funded plans, Medicare, Medicare HMOs, Medigap, long-term care, COBRA, CHAMPUS, and Medical Savings Accounts. Written by a nationally syndicated columnist, this useful volume also deals with special health insurance issues related to children, adults with special needs, and individuals who may need long-term care. In addition, Epstein provides valuable information for individuals who are in the process of changing jobs or making changes in their marital or family status, choosing a health insurance plan, or arranging long-term care—including placement in a nursing home or an assisted-living facility—for an aging parent. The book has a practical focus with a variety of tables and worksheets to help consumers establish a system for preventing health insurance problems, and for dealing with any health insurance problems that may arise. It also contains answers to common questions about health insurance, and provides a list of organizations that offer detailed information and advice in regard to specific health insurance problems.

Author: Laura L. Casey
Publisher: 1 Life Press
ISBN: 9780979073007
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 240

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Book Description
In the labyrinth of modern healthcare, many patients lose out at some time or another to confusion, bureaucracy, inefficiency, and uncaring providers. Without a savvy guide to differentiate good providers from bad, many of these patients are stuck with the luck of the draw when it comes to treating their illnesses. Laura Casey's How to Get the Health Care You Want addresses this problem head-on, with proactive solutions that put the patient or patient's advocate back in control to secure the best available care. This book will help you navigate all the ins and outs of modern medical care with straightforward and helpful steps to improving the quality and efficiency of care. It addresses the topics most readers will be concerned about, such as how to work with uncooperative medical professionals or their staff, how to demystify insurance policies and clinician qualifications, and ways to handle billing errors and insurance disputes.

Author: Troyen A. Brennan
Publisher: JHU Press
ISBN: 1421449102
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 259

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Book Description
Can American health insurance survive? In The Transformation of American Health Insurance, Troyen A. Brennan traces the historical evolution of public and private health insurance in the United States from the first Blue Cross plans in the late 1930s to reforms under the Biden administration. In analyzing this evolution, he finds long-term trends that form the basis for his central argument: that employer-sponsored insurance is becoming unsustainably expensive, and Medicare for All will emerge as the sole source of health insurance over the next two decades. After thirty years of leadership in health care and academia, Brennan argues that Medicare for All could act as a single-payer program or become a government-regulated program of competing health plans, like today's Medicare Advantage. The choice between these two options will depend on how private insurers adapt and behave in today's changing health policy environment. This critical evolution in the system of financing health care is important to employers, health insurance executives, government officials, and health care providers who are grappling with difficult strategic choices. It is equally important to all Americans as they face an inscrutable health insurance system and wonder what the future might hold for them regarding affordable coverage.

Author: Katrina Welty
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780981917245
Category : Health insurance
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Medical costs are out of control and Americans are paying outrageous amounts to cover their medical needs. On top of that, healthcare is filled with medical jargon that is confusing and hard to understand. Most of us quickly get lost - and then billed beyond belief! How can you fight what you don't understand? Well you don't have to be an M.D. or a translator to understand healthcare and get your costs under control. Now, the experts at change: healthcare - who have learned much thanks to their own personal experiences - share what they know about the system and how to survive it. Inside, you'll find how to: Make sense of your medical bills and EOBs Negotiate with the big boys - and end up paying less Find the most reliable service when it comes to your family's health Spot the differences and cost trade-offs in insurance plans What Other People Have to Say: My Healthcare is Killing Me does a great service in demystifying some of the complexities of the American healthcare system. It encourages individuals to be engaged in healthcare reform by asking them to become a part of the solution, reminding us that truly changing healthcare will be a responsibility shared by all. -Clayton McWhorter, Chairman of Clayton Associates At last a clear, concise, entertaining and practical read on the fundamentals of healthcare in America. Having the facts and figures so clearly laid out has a calming effect. Push aside the piles of paper and read this book first! -Fred Eberlein, Founder/CEO ReliefInsite.com