Health Insurance in Los Angeles, California

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What kinds of health insurance are there?
There are essentially two kinds of heath insurance: Fee-for-Service and Managed Care. Although these plans differ, they both cover an array of medical, surgical and hospital expenses. Most cover prescription drugs and some also offer dental coverage.

1. Fee-for-Service
   These plans generally assume that the medical professional will be paid a fee for each service provided to the patient. Patients are seen by a doctor of their choice and the claim is filed by either the medical provider or the patient.
    
2. Managed Care
   More than half of all Americans have some kind of managed-care plan¹. Various plans work differently and can include: health maintenance organizations (HM0s), preferred provider organizations (PPOs) and point-of-service (POS) plans. These plans provide comprehensive health services to their members and offer financial incentives to patients who use the providers in the plan.

Dental and Vision Insurance

There are many forms of insurance. Some, like car insurance, only provide a benefit to the few people who have a costly accident. Some, like life insurance, typically don't provide a benefit for many years. Some, like medical or health insurance, provide immediate benefits, but can be very costly. Dental insurance is rather unique. First, its low cost makes it highly affordable for individuals and families. Second, because dental insurance encourages and generally pays for regular check-ups, many people who purchase protection start to benefit immediately. Finally, the price of maintaining a healthy mouth can cost hundreds ... even thousands of dollars. Should you ever need costly care, from filings and crowns to periodontics and orthodontics, your dental insurance will be there to provide benefits when needed. So, if you buy dental insurance, you will probably use it. And, like millions of Americans who have protection, you'll probably be glad you did.

Vision insurance refers to a contract between a consumer and an insurance organization which provides vision care in return for a premium. In exchange for their premium payments, consumers usually receive eye examinations (given by doctors and clinics contracted with the insurance organization) and corrective eyewear. Exactly how much of the fees are covered varies according to the specifics of the plan.

Even if you have perfect vision, proper preventative eye care is an essential practice towards ensuring the health of your vision in the years to come . The most important step is receiving routine examinations from a qualified eye care professional. Individuals between the ages of 20 to 40 are recommended an exam every 5 years or so, provided no visual changes or injury has occurred. Individuals over the age of 40 should have an exam every 2 years or so.

Plan features and benefits will vary depending on the provider, but features typically discounted include:

• Eye examinations
• Surgical procedures - including Lasik procedures where available.
• Frames
• Lenses
• Contact Lenses
• Non-prescription sunglasses

1 - Source : MANAGED CARE AND THE STATES