| Being an employee of any company allows you to | | | | maintenance organization offer the services. |
| receive some perks, fringe benefits and privileges | | | | The advantage of HMO's over traditional employee |
| aside from the salary that you regularly receive. | | | | health benefit providers is the discounted costs that |
| One of the most important benefits that you should | | | | they offer. Because employers pay them a fixed fee |
| get at work is a health benefit or medical plan. | | | | for each person that they hire, they are assured of a |
| Especially for jobs which present risks on your health | | | | steady stream of patients so they can afford to offer |
| or on your life, make sure that you are always | | | | discounted rates. |
| adequately insured. | | | | There is also the PPO or the preferred provider |
| First, take a look at the disadvantages to you, as an | | | | organization which consists of health care providers |
| employee, if you do not have sufficient health benefits | | | | and a health insurance company who provides |
| from the company that you work for: | | | | benefits for employees. This also results in reduced |
| - If you suffer from a long-term or temporary illness | | | | premiums because doctors and hospitals are given a |
| that would lead you incapable to go to work for a long | | | | constant number of clients through employees who will |
| period of time, your savings can be gone in an instant. | | | | utilize their services. |
| - With the onslaught of hospital bills that you would | | | | Companies may offer any of these three health |
| need to shoulder, other members of your family will be | | | | insurance coverage. |
| affected as well if you share household expenses. | | | | With health care costs soaring every year, it is your |
| - Your own personal well-being will be at risk if you do | | | | responsibility as an employee to ask about the health |
| not have ample health benefits. | | | | care benefits that you are entitled to. |
| To prevent these from happening, you should know | | | | Here are a couple of tips on how you can better |
| the basic health benefits that you are entitled to once | | | | understand your health insurance coverage: |
| you become officially employed by a company. | | | | 1. Read your employee handbook. |
| 'Health Benefit Plans for You' | | | | A detailed description of the health insurance |
| The government offers the Federal Employee Health | | | | coverage that you will get should be indicated in the |
| Benefit Plan to assist all workers with their health care | | | | handbook. |
| needs. | | | | 2. When in doubt about something, go to your Human |
| Here, health and dental plans developed by insurance | | | | Resource Department. |
| companies and labor unions are offered to employees | | | | This is important especially for people with medical |
| of the government. The coverage and premiums, | | | | conditions. Ask about the limitations of the health |
| however, vary from state to state. | | | | insurance coverage as well as the deductibles. |
| Your employer might have a traditional health | | | | You will never know what medical emergency might |
| insurance company where you will have the option to | | | | come up during the time that you are employed. It is |
| visit any physician or hospital, and the costs will be | | | | better to be prepared and know everything about the |
| covered under the plan that you have. | | | | health benefits that you are entitled to, rather than |
| For employees of private corporations, there is the | | | | asking about them when you are already lying on the |
| HMO or the Health Maintenance Organization. | | | | hospital bed and not being able to do something about |
| Hospitals, doctors, health insurance companies and | | | | it. |
| providers who have are members of a health | | | | |