Travel Insurance Also Get a European Health Insurance Card

Hands up all those who remember the old E111 medical forms you were supposed to have if you travelled in Europe? I can see all those blank faces!

Well, great news is that it doesn’t matter any more. The E111 form was replaced at the beginning of January 2006 by a new European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

This EHIC is valid for up to 5 years and entitles you to the same level of medical care in the country you’re travelling in, as would be enjoyed by the residents of that country. The card covers discounted and free medical care including emergency treatment, and applies to all the EEC countries plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. But be aware that the treatment you’re entitled to might not include all the treatments you get free of charge under the National Health Service here in Britain.

Nevertheless, we believe that it’s wise to carry a EHIC as it could save you time, money and a great deal of hassle if you’re unlucky enough to need medical attention. It can cut through some of the inevitable red tape you’d be faced with if you were relying just on the medical provisions of your travel insurance policy.

You should also be aware that in many areas of Europe, the best medical attention is still reserved for those with private insurance cover. Private insurance bypasses the long queues of local residents waiting patently in inhospitable corridors - after all who wants to spend days of their holiday not only ill, but queuing as well!

Another point is that nationalised health care is only available at nationalised hospitals which, in some countries, are hundreds of miles apart. They tend to be located where the local population work and live - not where you enjoy your holidays! Therefore, you may be a long way from the nearest nationalised hospital whereas private medical and dental clinics are to be found in many tourist areas catering primarily for holidaymakers. Their standard is usually good albeit in local terms, they’re expensive.

Whilst we’ve been discussing medical care, don’t forget that private travel insurance covers you for much more than just medical expenses. Most policies will even pay for you to be flown home to the UK if you’re really ill. Holiday cancellation (due to prior illness), holiday curtailment, loss of luggage or individual items are all aspects normally covered by the insurance.

To be as safe as possible, we recommend that all travellers get a European Health Insurance Card and comprehensive travel insurance. After all, you’ve saved up for ages for the holiday and if something goes wrong the last thing you want is to be worried about the financial implications.

As with most insurance, the best travel insurance bargains are to be found on the Internet. Search on your favourite search engine for “travel insurance”. The brokers usually provide the best value for money as they will have access to a wide range of insurance providers and can pick the best for you. You can try the sites run by the individual insurance companies but they’ll only offer you one option - their policy! A broker can offer you a range of solutions.

We say, no matter how you arrange it, get travel insurance and get peace of mind.

Information about the European Health Insurance Card

The European Health Insurance Card is free from any Post Office or by phoning the Department of Health on 0845 606 2030. You can also apply online at the web site run by the Department of Health. The web address is http://www.dh.gov.uk/travellers

Brokers Online provide you with information about Travel Insurance Quotes. They also offer Cheap Life Insurance

What is Consumer-Driven Healthcare

Consumer-driven healthcare is a label that we’ve put on a movement in America to change the way decisions are made in our healthcare system. Instead of insurance companies making all the decisions about how people will receive their healthcare, consumers are taking back the power over their own lives.

Likewise, the days of a patient totally putting their lives into their doctor’s hands are over. People don’t trust doctors to always do the best thing. How could they? The doctor does not know the situation as well as the patient. It must be the patient’s choice, and they must be making an informed choice, not one based on a five minute sales pitch from a doctor.

If consumer-driven healthcare sounds good to you, that’s because it is. It is a very good thing. Dr. Bernie Siegel, a holistic MD and author, noticed many years ago that the patients who took the most interest in their own well being while in the hospital had the best recovery rates from diseases and injuries. These patients are called “troublemakers” by hospital staff. But the truth is, they live. The “compliant” patients die in much greater numbers. Take your pick.

The consumer-driven healthcare revolution is represented in the insurance industry by the emergence of the health savings account (HSA). This is a savings account (like a bank account) that allows you to save tax-deferred money for healthcare expenses whenever you might need it. You can take the money out without paying tax, as long as you’re using it for healthcare expenses.

The Health Savings Account allows people to use a much higher deductible on their health insurance, reducing the cost of insurance payments by 40%, 60% or even 80%.

My wife and I would pay about $1000/month for low-deductible health insurance. But with a high-deductible plan and an HSA, we pay $175. That’s an $825, or 82.5% savings every month, $9,900 a year. That buys a lot of yoga classes, or acupuncture treatments, or massage therapy. Or it can go towards a very nice retirement savings. Or a car after two years. Whatever we like.

The downside of consumer-driven healthcare is that whenever you take over control of a situation, you also have more responsibility. You have control of your healthcare dollar, but now you have the responsibility to spend it in the right places. And you need the discipline to do what you know is right. That’s often very hard.

But overall, consumer-driven healthcare is a big step forward. In the next two or three years, many Americans will take charge of their own healthcare.

Join the consumer-driven healthcare revolution! You’ll save money, be healthier and have more choice over your own life.

Daryl Kulak is the author of Health Insurance Off the Grid, a book that provides a simple, effective plan to reduce insurance costs for the self-employed, unemployed and underinsured. The book is available at the Website http://www.healthoffthegrid.com

Comparing Health Insurance Plans - Where Can You Save Money

When its time to buy health insurance the first step in keeping the costs in order is to get comparative quotes from at least three companies. This way you can compare your options. But, remember that costs are not the only thing to check. You must see what the various companies are offering you while you compare the rates.

Be aware that different companies offer their health coverage different ways. Some deal directly, some through agents that represent them and others strictly over the Internet or by phone. The method a company uses will affect the prices charged. Check with the company that carries your auto or house insurance. They often give discounts to current customers.

If you are looking for a more flexible plan, one where you can have more choices you should be prepared to pay more. One way to save money is to go with the cheaper plans that do not give you choices. If you are prepared to live with that you can save money by allowing the plan to outline which doctors, hospitals or labs you must use.

If you are employed and your employer offers you the opportunity to join their group plan that will save you money. Even if you must pay towards the plan it will be much less than you would pay if you were covered directly. Especially if you are older, married or have children.

If saving money on your health insurance coverage is vital to your being able to afford coverage than consider this, pay the small bills and let the insurance company pay the big ones. With a high deductible, which gives the health insurance companies the ability to keep your expenses low, you cover only the low cost bills. But when there is a health crisis, and the bills are piling up, you’ll be worry free. The insurance company will be taking care of those bills for you.

View our Recommended Health Insurance Company, a simple site that has an easy to fill out application. It also has a lot of great info about Home Insurance and Car Insurance