Avalon Healthcare Advises, Beware When Buying Individual Health Insurance; Consumers Need to Shop Around and Examine Carriers and Benefit Plans.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Florida based health plan, Avalon Healthcare, advises that with rapid growth of consumer directed health care, consumers purchasing individual health plans need to be careful when selecting an insurance carrier.

Catherine Price, Avalon's Consumer Products Manager warns that, "Like buying a house or car, buying health insurance is a big financial decision, probably the second or third largest monthly expense a consumer has. Being selective when buying health insurance is critical so do your homework."

Many consumers rely on an insurance broker for help in selecting their health insurance and Price says this can be both a good and bad decision.

"Many insurance brokers do an outstanding job of finding quality healthcare companies and matching benefit plans to the needs of the consumer but others just want to get as much commission as possible without regards to the well-being of the consumer," Price says. "Because the consumer is now paying larger and larger deductibles before benefits begin, they need to become as educated as their broker. Remember its your money and you are spending a lot of it each month."

She advises that consumers check out the carrier above and beyond the recommendations of an insurance broker. And for consumers who buy insurance off the internet, be vigilant in your research.

Price offers the following advice:

--Make sure the insurance carrier and its products are filed and approved by the State insurance department. Many individual carriers sell what are called "association plans" which are plans filed in other states and sold in multiple states. While some of these plans are good, many offer "stripped down benefits," high renewal rates, poor customer service and monthly association fees as high as $50 per month above and beyond the approved premium. "Getting a monthly bill loaded with added fees can be quite a shock to a consumer, and those fees are something the normal consumer would not accept when buying other goods," Price says.

--Get three quotes and compare benefits and services - while price is certainly a critical factor, accepting the lowest price isn't always the best alternative. Find out if the carrier has consumer support programs that help members better manage their care, a live voice to connect to when they have questions or easy to understand information directed at consumers. "Is the insurance company trying the help the consumer or befuddle them?" Price asks.

--Research all details of a plan you want to buy - while many individual health insurance plans look the same, the entire benefit package can be quite complex and to understand what benefits are included consumers need to take the time to read every line in the benefit plan summary documents. "It may be boring to do," says Price, "but the devil is in the details." One plan for example, limits the number of doctor visits to four a year. Another plan might exclude home health services or durable medical equipment. And all plans have varying lifetime dollar maximums for coverage. It is important for the consumer to get the most for their healthcare dollar.

--Evaluate what value added services the plans provide - sometimes buying from a smaller carrier that has additional consumer directed services can be better for consumers looking for a closer one to one relationship. As an example, Price says the Avalon CareSupport Program offers members the ability to price shop medical services and check doctors and hospitals for outcomes data. "Knowledge of the plan and flexibility to the consumer are important when selecting an individual health carrier," Price says. "Consumers need to ask, 'can you help me with my healthcare needs, how quickly can I get a problem solved, who can I talk to right away and how responsive is my insurer?'"

--Does the plan offer easy to use online tools - many plans now want to drive their members to the web as a way to save administrative costs which can ultimately save consumers premium dollars. But consumers should evaluate the online tools offered by the insurance company to see if they are easy to use and understand. As consumers take more responsibility for their healthcare, they want the most comprehensive and functional facilities to manage their care.

If a consumer has a question regarding any carrier, Price suggests they contact their State Department of Insurance. Most, she says, have online websites with all the information they need in addition to 800 numbers they can call.

For more information on Avalon Healthcare visit http://www.avalonhealthcare.com or call the company at 813-549-0742.