Health Insurance Video Blog

With this video I tried to combine all of the aspects of the previous videos and to show people how to compare two different health insurance plans. I created the "Health Insurance Comparison Chart" many years ago and I have found that it helps to focus on the most important aspects of a medical insurance plan. Because there are so many features in a health insurance plan such as the cost of doctor office visits; hospitalization; prescription medicine; durable medical equipment, etc., this chart helps to strip away all but the most important elements, i.e.,: how much you pay in the best case (annual premium) and how much you pay in the worst, catestrophic case (premium plus the out of pocket limit.) My hope is that people who watch these videos and complete the chart will select a plan that works well for them. At the very least, I hope that they understand how their California medical insurance plan works and how best to use it.

Trying to explain complicated terms like "out of pocket limit" "deductible" and "co-insurance" in less than 2.5 minutes is difficult. I thought that the image of someone really hurting himself by diving into a swimming pool was a good way to convey the importance of the protection that health insurance provides when catastrophy strikes. I have seen many instances where health insurance companies have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for people who have had serious injuries or illness. With this video I tried to explain these complex terms with pictures to help convey the message.

I've found that many people aren't exactly sure what an HMO and PPO are. With this video I wanted to show how they work and what the differences are. I have used the graphics in this video for many years when I sit down with business owners or individuals and we discuss health insurance options. I've found that it helps when people see the how the patient (you) fits in with the doctor or primary care physician (PCP) and hospitals, specialists, medical groups and insurance companies. A picture seems to be worth a thousand words.

How a health insurance plan pays for prescription medicine (Rx) is important. Unfortunately, standard descriptions rely on a lot of technical terms. With this video I wanted to make those terms understandable in a graphic or visual way.

One of the best benefits of a health insurance plan is the discount you get from in-network doctors and hospitals. It is often overlooked when people select a health insurance plan because the selection criteria shown are benefits and monthly price (or premium.) Many people forget to consider which doctors and hospitals will give them discounts on a particular plan. In this video I want to remind people to consider the provide network when they select a plan and most importantly, to stay in the network when they have a plan and access care. Staying "in network" saves people a ton of money.

With this video I want to help people understand the differences between the health insurance companies. I also want to let people know that there are some really good protections for people with individual and small group health insurance in California. The current system is far from perfect, but there are some very good aspects of our system. A lot of people are not aware of the low cost of health insurance in California and the price controls in the small group market. Hopefully this video will help people better understand the current system.