Advantages Galore - Kaiser and PacifiCare Insurance

By Joe Deacon

Two up and coming health insurance companies are Kaiser Insurance and PacifiCare. Both of them are relatively new to the insurance industry, with PacifiCare being better known. Both of these companies offer health coverage for individuals who may not have health policies provided to them through their employer. The cost for both Kaiser and PacifiCare premiums depend on the number of people in the family, pre-existing conditions, if any, and the age of those insured.

Going through Insurance Brokers: Pacificare

PacifiCare requires that you get a health check up before you get a policy through them. You can generally get health coverage through this company by going to an insurance broker. Such a broker offers health insurance for a variety of different underwriters, many of whom are not well known to the public. PacifiCare is one of the companies that offers health policies through brokers.

Some small businesses have also used PacifiCare as their health insurance provider, although most of the larger companies prefer to use Aetna, Blue Cross or Humana as their insurer of choice. Of these two companies - Kaiser and PacifiCare - PacifiCare offers lower premiums for self insured individuals.

The Kaiser Advantage

Kaiser is a good company to go to if you have pre-existing conditions as they cover more of these conditions than other insurance companies that insure those who are not insured through regular means. Self insured individuals who are looking for a deal on health plans are often better off to use Kaiser than other insurance companies if they have family members with a pre-existing condition.

The PacifiCare Advantage

PacifiCare is accepted at more hospitals and clinics than Kaiser. With both of these companies, however, you will have to mail in claims. Unlike larger insurance companies that use automatic claim processing through the computer, these firms still rely on claim forms. This can be a hassle for anyone who is trying to get urgent care, is insured but may be tight on money. Many urgent care facilities that are non-emergency will ask that you pay up front for the care, even if you have insurance, if you do not have a provider that they can automatically submit a claim to online.

Both Kaiser and PacifiCare are good options for someone who wants to have health insurance but cannot afford to carry policies from one of the larger companies such as Humana or Aetna. This gives someone a blanket of comfort that they do have coverage, although they may have a bit more difficulty when it comes to processing claims as far as paperwork and red tape than they would if they used a more well known carrier.

For more coverage at local hospitals and clinics, a person would be wise to choose PacifiCare if they do not have pre-existing conditions. If a person has pre-existing conditions and is looking for low cost health care coverage, Kaiser is the way to go. Both Kaiser and PacifiCare offer low cost health plans for those who do not get coverage at work or cannot afford to pay for coverage from larger insurance companies.