How to Keep the High Quality When Shopping for Cheap Medical Insurance

Are you looking for a cheap or low cost health insurance? For some people the word "cheap" stands for low quality whereas to others it simply means low in cost. The majority of people would agree that the word "cheap" refers to price rather than to quality. However, the old saying "you only get what you pay for" can be applied to virtually anything, even to cheap medical insurance.

You may choose to go "cheap" for certain services and goods. Sometimes, the cheaper one turns out to be the better choice. For example, off-season designer accessories and clothes can be high quality and cheap at the same time. Whenever you can purchase a well-known branded product at discounted rates, you are getting the finest in both quality and price. Apart from designer products, mortgages and loans are a lot better when they are cheap. Does it make any difference to you if your mortgage payment is going to a well-known bank or to a small credit union? What you are really interested is to get the best rates available, right?

However, with some other services and products, going for the "cheapest" may just be wasting your money. One basic example is insurance. When you purchase a health insurance plan, automobile insurance, or home insurance, you are purchasing a promise that the insurance providers will be there when you are in need. So, searching for a well-reputed company is the key to your satisfaction for any low cost health insurance plan.

So how can you determine whether an insurance company is reliable or not? Keep in mind that the premium is only a small amount for the assurance when compare to the expenses the insurance company will bear should you file any big claims in the future. Clearly, the insurance company itself must be stable financially. There are customer watchdog firms like AM Best that give ratings to the insurance companies based on their financial stability. The AM Best marks a company as financially secure only if it has at least a rating of B+. If you want to know more about all the ratings you can refer to their website.

There is another company by the name of Better Business Bureau (BBB), who rates insurance companies. This company also lets consumers to complain against a company who isn't providing up to the mark services. So, before purchasing any inexpensive health insurance you should check out the BBB's website to ensure if any other customers have filed any complaints against a your insurance company for problems like non remittal of claims.

In summary, when you have to buy a health insurance, do not simply look for the lowest price tag. Go for an insurance plan that meets yours and your family's needs. If you need a low cost health insurance option, consider a plan with a higher deductible. A number of leading insurance firms readily offered these higher deductible plans that will fit in your budget.

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A Better Way to Choose Medical Students? Maybe Not

The secret of success is sincerity. If you can fake that, you've got it made. George Burns

I have interviewed high school students for my alma mater, Yale, for 25 years. I can state unequivocally that today's candidates are no smarter than they were a quarter century ago, but some certainly look better on paper. The kids coming through today are tutored, groomed and prepped to perfection. Not just "tiger moms" but an entire industry of professionals have sprung up to advise students how to work for the right charity, beat the SAT, and perfect their curve ball. College admissions have become similar to an arms race, with students and their coaches working to defeat the admissions process, and "snow" me as an interviewer. I like to think I can see the real person, and judge their sincerity, but I never really know.

Something similar is happening with medical school, and how we choose our future physicians. The medical school admission industry is in full force. College grade inflation, and an increasing number of women applicants, has put more emphasis on ancillary admission criteria, such as the medical school admission test(MCAT), outside activities, essays, and the interview. Unfortunately, all of these additional measures can can be "gamed" by professionals attempting to manipulate the process, which is now very common.

I am therefore not optimistic the new admission criteria discussed in the referenced article will be of much use. The concept is to use a more structured and involved interview process to determine which applicants are able to better communicate with patients, work as a team, and understand ethical situations. Advocates and reformers claim choosing medical students with these attributes will make better doctors, and by extension, improve our healthcare system.

These goals seem laudable at first consideration, but do not hold up under deeper inspection, or in all circumstances. Personality, kindness and compassion are great attributes for a surgeon respecting your lung cancer, but they are of secondary concern compared to her skill level. Being able to understand the emotional needs of a rebellious adolescent may be required for a family practice doctor, but would not be of particular importance for a pathologist. Ethical judgment is certainly useful, but can be learned in medical school. Requiring everyone to be a "team player" assumes the end of the solo practitioner, which presupposes the success of Obamacare.

Most importantly, these new "interviews" can be prepped for, and the correct answers can be taught. Soon a large cadre of coaches will quickly spring up to meet the need. Medical school admissions are not perfect, but teaching medical school applicants to fake sincerity will help neither our healthcare system nor the candidates themselves, unless they decide to run for Congress.

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