Have you been declined health insurance recently? Have you submitted your personal information to every internet site claiming to have a high risk policy from an insurance company you have never heard of? Did the sites claim their company is insuring ALL Pre Existing Conditions only to decline you, again, because you have too many conditions? Even after you told the salesman all the conditions you are currently being treated for? Are you wondering what to do? Are you concerned about gaining affordable access to quality healthcare?

A discount plan maybe a wise choice for you given your circumstance. Discount plans are exactly what they sound like, a plan you pay a monthly membership to in exchange for access to their list of providers. Some lists are nationwide and some are regional. The discounts can vary based on how much the provider wants to allow. A rule of thumb is 40% off Primary Care Providers (PCP) typical routine office visit. Specialists usually allow the same 40% discount off their "rack rate" or routine office visit.

This savings does not seem much on the surface but if we look into average fees charged by PCP's the savings becomes substantial for someone or a family that makes several visits per year or month. If we assume an average PCP office fee is $150 less 40% that equates to $90 per visit saving $60. If you make 6 visits per year that is $540 out of pocket at the discounted price saving you $360 off the PCP's "rack rate". Add in an estimated $50 average monthly membership fee or $600 per year, and you have spent $1,140 per year for healthcare. That's less than $100 per month.

If we compare that to a traditional PPO health insurance policy with an average monthly premium of $250 or $3,000 annually (conservatively low estimated premium) plus the $210 (35x6) office co-pay that puts the annual out of pocket at $3,210. The estimated savings equates to $2,070 annually or $172 per month. That's enough money to almost fully fund an IRA.

If you are concerned about large bills after being admitted into a hospital, most discount plans have a member advocacy board. The advocacy board will negotiate with the hospital on your behalf to reduce the bill based on your ability to repay the debt. Typical savings is 50% (please reference my article, Pre Existing Condition: 3 Alternatives to Health insurance by Sean Kimbrough for an in depth example).

If you are an American looking for an affordable option to high priced, high risk health insurance premiums, you should look into and consider a discount plan. The first action I would recommend is reviewing the provider list of any prospective discount plan. This way you know before signing up what your local PCP selection will be and if your provider is an already approved provider. Also, make sure the plan offers a 30 day trial period with a return of all or unused monies if you are not satisfied.

To find out more if a Discount Medical and Dental Plan can benefit your family, click the following link:
Pre Existing Condition Healthcare [http://preexistingconditionhealthcare.com/]