Health Insurance Articles
Basic Health Insurance Options For Massachusetts Residents
2010-02-15
Health insurance is a must for almost all in this tough economic climate. Massachusetts residents must have some basic health insurance coverage as insisted up on by the individual mandate. Knowing this law and the various options for health insurance that are available to you will help you to take proper decisions on health insurance and health insurance claim. The law mandates that subsidized health insurance be provided to residents earning less than 300 per cent of the Federal Poverty Level. There is another plan offering low-cost insurance for those not covered by the above mentioned plan or employer insurance.
The State and Federal Government together fund a variety of insurance plans especially targeting families, parents, children, people who are HIV+, the disabled, the unemployed, senior citizens, the uninsured, immigrants, those who have not been insured for a long time, pregnant women, and so on. The plan for pregnant women will help you to bear the childbirth costs. There is even a plan where the state pays for your medical insurance if you are collecting unemployment benefits. In some cases the state will directly pay your medical bills. There is even a plan for those who do not fit into any of the other plans. In other words, as a resident of Massachusetts, you are sure to qualify for some state-sponsored health insurance plan or the other. All of these are low-cost options that will help you to meet medical emergencies as well as routine hospitalization charges.
The individual mandate makes its compulsory for the health insurance to cover prescription drugs and doctor visits. Moreover, it does not cap spending on hospital stays or total benefits for sickness per year. Additionally, in case your religion does not permit a health insurance, you can file a sworn statement along with your Massachusetts income tax returns.
The law also states that employers with more than ten employees must contribute to the health insurance plans of their employees in a ``fair and reasonable'' manner. All these steps are basically to ensure that the number of dependents on the free health care is lowered. If you are employed, your best bet for health insurance is your employer who can be penalized if you use the free health care option often. Employers can offer a company health plan or contribute to the individual health insurance. Either way, it is the employee that benefits. As is clear from the above discussion, though health insurance has been mandated for all in Massachusetts, it is the individual who will benefit from this law. Whether they are employed or not, have disabilities or are on welfare, there is a plan to suit the specific needs.
