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