For those who have totally no idea what health insurance is all about, here’s a primer straight from Wikipedia:

Before the development of medical expense insurance, patients were expected to pay all other health care costs out of their own pockets, under what is known as the fee-for-service business model. During the middle to late 20th century, traditional disability insurance evolved into modern health insurance programs. Today, most comprehensive private health insurance programs cover the cost of routine, preventive, and emergency health care procedures, and also most prescription drugs, but this was not always the case. Hospital and medical expense policies were introduced during the first half of the 20th century. During the 1920s, individual hospitals began offering services to individuals on a pre-paid basis, eventually leading to the development of Blue Cross organizations.[4] The predecessors of today’s health maintenance organizations (HMOs) originated in 1929 .

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Here’s another 101 for those who need more info on insurance. Yes, also straight from ‘ol Wikipedia.

Hospital indemnity insurance provides a fixed daily, weekly or monthly benefit while the insured is confined in a hospital. The payment is not dependent on actual hospital charges, and is most commonly expressed as a flat dollar amount. Hospital indemnity benefits are paid in addition to any other benefits that may be available, and are typically used to pay out-of-pocket and non-covered expenses associated with the primary medical plan, and to help with additional expenses (e.g., child care) incurred while in the hospital

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The term health insurance is commonly used in the United States to describe any program that helps pay for medical expenses, whether through privately purchased insurance, social insurance or a non-insurance social welfare program funded by the government.[1] Synonyms for this usage include “health coverage,” “health care coverage” and “health benefits.”In a more technical sense, the term is used to describe any form of insurance that provides protection against injury or illness. This usage includes private insurance and social insurance programs such as Medicare, but excludes social welfare programs such as Medicaid. In addition to medical expense insurance, it also includes insurance covering disability or long-term nursing or custodial care needs.

Private-sponsored is one provided by a commercial private insurance company mostly purchased by the employer, union or the individual himself. Under this category falls:
1. Employment based health plans
2. Direct-purchase plans

Government-sponsored health insurance on the other hand is those which are primarily funded by the government. Types of health insurance under this category are:
1. Medicare
2. Medicaid
3. State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
4. Military Health Care Plans
a. TRICARE or CHAMPUS
b. CHAMPVA
c. VA
5. State Specific Plans

Like other kinds of insurance, health insurance protects you against unexpected expenses. In the long run, having health insurance coverage will save you money. Accidents or illnesses can happen any time and we all know that medical costs are very high, by getting yourself a premium, you might save yourself thousands of bucks for a medical treatment. With this kind of financial security, peace of mind follows. You would feel protected from unpredictable health misfortunes knowing that you are covered. Health insurance can definitely help you in a pre-existing condition situation. Health insurance is easy to be acquired so you might as well get one for yourself.

There are four (4) reasons for the economic impact of these interrelated health challenges and the need to spur more effective health insurance coverage:
1.Rising premiums put unwanted strains on jobs, businesses and wages;
2.Less productive workforce is the result of ineffective care;
3.Increasing public health expenditure is a serious cause of fiscal challenges;
4.Health care is an important piece of the puzzle of economic security.

Here are other ways to help make your health insurance coverage more reactive to your needs:
1. Use your options wisely
2. Review all available benefits
3. Put a stress on quality
4. Understand the plan’s Summary Plan Description (SPD)
5. Regularly evaluate your coverage against your family status
6. Life events have an effect on your benefits
7. HIPAA can help you when changing profession
8. Be aware of your retirement benefits
9. Learn how to file claims and appeals
10. Take steps to improve the quality of your benefits

Tax credits, although modest, will allow people to avail of health insurance coverage that is both comprehensive and affordable. Tax credits can purchase benefits relevant to a population both geographically and demographically. Continuous development of tax credits and reevaluation of current insurance regulations is one key way to help expand health insurance coverage to a large number of uninsured.

The program offers optional coverage to those stationed in remote areas. This will ensure that they will be getting the best health insurance possible at any given time. Beneficiaries enrolled in the program can avail of priority access to health care at military treatment facilities.