Individual Health Insurance: Lower Costs If Healthy

We all know the importance of maintaining a healthy weight, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and exercising regularly. Staying healthy not only improves our quality of life but it can save you money on your health insurance. Individual health insurance rates can fluctuate based on many factors, one of which being your previous health history and current habits that may be considered unhealthy.

If you smoke or drink heavily you could end up paying higher health insurance premiums. Pre-existing conditions and prescriptions drugs may cause higher quotes. Age, gender and where you live also can play into how expensive your premiums are. While some of these factors are out of your control, there are things you can do to help lower your chances of having high health insurance costs.

Living a healthy lifestyle may not warrant you lower health insurance quotes immediately but over time you may be able to eliminate some prescription pills, lower your BMI, and lower how many times you need to visit your doctor. If you feel as though your individual health insurance policy is too expensive and you have changed some of your lifestyle habits to healthier living shop around and see if your new habits have earned you lower quotes on health insurance. You may be surprised how much money you can actually save.

Health care reform has prohibited people from being denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions but this doesn't fully take effect until 2014, and it doesn't mean you rates will necessarily be the same as someone without a pre-existing condition. Taking charge of the things you can control with your healthy now may warrant you big savings in the future.

NFL Lockout: Going to Extremes for Health Insurance

The much talked about NFL Lockout is upon us and causing quite a stir when it comes to players and their health insurance benefits that could disappear tonight. Players have been encouraged to apply for COBRA, but with the hefty price tag that comes with COBRA, many players are opting out. And without any health insurance they are putting their financial situation at risk.

According to the article "Desperate Measures? Player's Wife Induces Labor Early as NFL Lockout Approaches" by Brad Cohen found on SportsGrid.com, an unnamed player's wife induced labor early deliberately to ensure the health care costs would be paid for by the NFL health insurance. This may seem extreme, but will simplify things for the family. Although COBRA is a very good option for players it is expensive. Channing Crowder, the linebacker for the Miami Dolphins says it's going to cost him about $1300 a month for COBRA health insurance. Many players may not be financially prepared for this type of monthly cost. Hopefully this NFL lockout will be resolved soon and it will be a short term situation.

iCan Benefits Information

There is an unique company in the health insurance industry called iCan Benefits which has thousands of existing customers. Their mission is to bring access to affordable health care to all Americans. They believe that America needs better access to health care, financial assistance, and lifestyle improvement benefits.

ICan knows everything about health insurance. They will walk you through the process of finding the best health insurance policy. Once its found, they will stay with you and manage the policy, answering any questions you may have.

ICan benefits has a partnership with the Health Care Credit Union Association (HCCUA), which is a not for profit organization established in 1985. Their goal is to provide access to valuable benefits to better the health of their members and their families.

Healthy Indiana Plan Nearing Capacity for Childless Adults

One year after the state launched a state-subsidized health care program for the uninsured, many people are in danger of losing access to Indiana health insurance due to an enrollment cap. 

Shari Rudaskvy from the Indianapolis Star says that the Healthy Indiana plan is close to reaching the cap of 34,000 on adults without children that are allowed to enroll. Currently, about half all 42,000 enrollees fall in that category.

Higher unemployment rates will probably lead to even more people applying for the plan, causing it to reach capacity even sooner. Those adults who have access to health insurance from their job (even if it's prohibitively expensive) or who need access to vision or dental care (HIP doesn't cover either) might find that it makes more sense to get health insurance quotes for another plan that could help them. The same goes for people who are underinsured.