Young adults between the ages of 19 and 34 -- also known as "young invincibles" -- represent one of the largest and fastest-growing segments of the population without health insurance. Almost 17 million "young invincibles" are uninsured throughout the country, including 40,000 in Georgia, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. To help address this issue, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGa), the state's largest health benefits provider, announced today the launch of Tonik -- unique health insurance options for Georgia's "young invincibles," designed to decrease the number of Georgia's uninsured.
Young invincibles" typically are no longer covered by family insurance policies and are just beginning to establish their independence. They are also just beginning their careers and less likely to be offered or purchase health insurance from their employers.
"Tonik is an important product that allows this growing demographic to purchase coverage on their own terms," said Monye Connolly, president, BCBSGa. "We asked 'young invincibles' what they were looking for in a health plan, and we listened. The end result is Tonik -- a plan that makes it easy to understand the concepts and terminology associated with health insurance and provides easy access to a health insurance product they can relate to."
Tonik health plans were designed with input from "young invincibles" throughout the country in an effort to create the most appropriate product possible in order to decrease the numbers of uninsured and expand access to health care coverage. This product -- first introduced in 2004 -- has already been launched in California, Colorado and Nevada. Approximately 78 percent of current Tonik enrollees were previously uninsured.
BCBSGa is offering three Tonik plans -- flexible PPO products that include medical, pharmacy, dental and vision. Prices depend on the plan and the insured's age, medical history and where they live.
"We found through our research that this group wants head-to-toe coverage in one easy-to-understand product. And with Tonik plans beginning at less than $100 a month, we are able to offer the type of coverage they are looking for at rates most 'young invincibles' can afford," said Connolly. "By introducing innovative new products and services like Tonik, BCBSGa is constantly working to improve our members' health, enhance health care quality and address affordability for our members."
Applying for Tonik is simple and quick. Individuals can visit and apply for Tonik online at http://www.tonikhealthquotes.com/ or contact their independent agent. Applicants who apply online are subject to review, but approval can be as short as a few minutes.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
BCBS Tonik Health Tips
BCBS Tonik has proven to be the hottest plan in California, Colorado, and Nevada this year, here are a few tips to make sure it is the right plan for you.
1. You are a California, Nevada, or Colorado resident.
2. You are not currently taking any medications except for birth control.
3. You don't have any pre existing health conditions.
4. You want the selection of a ppo network
5. You want a plan that has integrated dental benefits
Go to www.tonikhealthquotes.com for more information.
1. You are a California, Nevada, or Colorado resident.
2. You are not currently taking any medications except for birth control.
3. You don't have any pre existing health conditions.
4. You want the selection of a ppo network
5. You want a plan that has integrated dental benefits
Go to www.tonikhealthquotes.com for more information.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Tonik isn't just for kids
The BCBS Tonik plan was specifically designed for single adults between the age's of 18-29. This group represents the largest portion of uninsured's in the country, and they are also the healthiest statistically of the uninsured. The Tonik Health Plan has been a huge success, in California, Nevada, and Colorado, but the biggest surprise has been that people into their 50's have been opting for the plan. There are a lot of healthy elder singles out there who find the Tonik plan fits there lifestyle.
What sets the plan apart from an underwriting persective is that they will not issue riders, you are either in, or you are out. So a person with high blood pressure, or some other chronic, but not serious if taken care of condition cannot get accepted for the plan. They can however be easily accepted under other BCBS PPO, or HSA plans which are excellent also. However this is a discount to being healthy at an older age, and if you aren't taking medications you are still a good candidate for a Tonik Health Plan.
What sets the plan apart from an underwriting persective is that they will not issue riders, you are either in, or you are out. So a person with high blood pressure, or some other chronic, but not serious if taken care of condition cannot get accepted for the plan. They can however be easily accepted under other BCBS PPO, or HSA plans which are excellent also. However this is a discount to being healthy at an older age, and if you aren't taking medications you are still a good candidate for a Tonik Health Plan.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
California Tonik Plans
If you are between 19 and 29 years old, you are at the height of all your physical powers, chances are you will never be as healthy as you are now. Life is good in California, that is till the unexpected happens.
Unfortunately, life was designed to be unpredictable. You can't always predict what is going to happen next. It only takes one slip skiing, one tackle playing flag football, or one crash on a bike to make you realize that from time to time the financial pains resulting from coping with an unexpected injury can easily outweigh any physical distress. If and when you find yourself laid out by the grass, the snow, the waves, the roadway or something as unforeseeable as a burst appendix you are definitely going to wish you had the assistance that only reliable health care coverage has to give.
Blue Cross of California is now offering three straight-up, practical and reasonably priced health care plans specifically designed to cover you from head to toe. They are known as TONIK, and if you happen to be between 19 to 29 years of age, plan rates can clock in as low as $60 -$90 per month, depending on which of the three TONIK health plans that you pick. TONIK can help protect your financial present and future with three easy to understand health plans.
TONIK Health Plans are just not for the young, people from 1-65 are welcome to apply, but the plans is being specifically marketed to the 18-28 year age group.
TONIK is a product offering of the Blue Cross Life & Health Insurance Co., backed by the impeccable reputation of Blue Cross of California; California's largest single health indemnity carrier.
Blue Cross surveyed hundreds of young adults to find out what it was that they didn't like about standard health insurance offerings that was keeping 1.6 million of them out of the marketplace in California alone. Nationwide, more than thirty percent of Americans between nineteen and twenty-nine are uninsured.
The TONIK plan takes care of your health concerns by covering most lab-work, x-ray's, and even certain specialized procedures under its office visit co-payment schedule. In addition, TONIK includes both, vision and dental plan benefits in addition to generic pharmacy-RX, and doc visits. Once a particular planýs deductible level is met, all covered health benefits will be paid in full. There are no co-insurance percentages that must be paid-out by plan members until a higher out of pocket maximum has been satisfied.
TONIK is a truly cutting edge health insurance offering, besides its plan details, even its look, feel and most importantly it's application and applicant approval process set it apart from just about every health plan currently available. You are able to apply for the TONIK plan of choice with the new Tonik online application. You can be covered in less than ten minutes!
Enrolling in one of TONIK's plans though Medequote is as easy . We are a Blue Cross of California Premier Partner Agency. That means our applications get more attention and are processed quicker.
Visit www.tonikhealthquote.com for more information.
Unfortunately, life was designed to be unpredictable. You can't always predict what is going to happen next. It only takes one slip skiing, one tackle playing flag football, or one crash on a bike to make you realize that from time to time the financial pains resulting from coping with an unexpected injury can easily outweigh any physical distress. If and when you find yourself laid out by the grass, the snow, the waves, the roadway or something as unforeseeable as a burst appendix you are definitely going to wish you had the assistance that only reliable health care coverage has to give.
Blue Cross of California is now offering three straight-up, practical and reasonably priced health care plans specifically designed to cover you from head to toe. They are known as TONIK, and if you happen to be between 19 to 29 years of age, plan rates can clock in as low as $60 -$90 per month, depending on which of the three TONIK health plans that you pick. TONIK can help protect your financial present and future with three easy to understand health plans.
TONIK Health Plans are just not for the young, people from 1-65 are welcome to apply, but the plans is being specifically marketed to the 18-28 year age group.
TONIK is a product offering of the Blue Cross Life & Health Insurance Co., backed by the impeccable reputation of Blue Cross of California; California's largest single health indemnity carrier.
Blue Cross surveyed hundreds of young adults to find out what it was that they didn't like about standard health insurance offerings that was keeping 1.6 million of them out of the marketplace in California alone. Nationwide, more than thirty percent of Americans between nineteen and twenty-nine are uninsured.
The TONIK plan takes care of your health concerns by covering most lab-work, x-ray's, and even certain specialized procedures under its office visit co-payment schedule. In addition, TONIK includes both, vision and dental plan benefits in addition to generic pharmacy-RX, and doc visits. Once a particular planýs deductible level is met, all covered health benefits will be paid in full. There are no co-insurance percentages that must be paid-out by plan members until a higher out of pocket maximum has been satisfied.
TONIK is a truly cutting edge health insurance offering, besides its plan details, even its look, feel and most importantly it's application and applicant approval process set it apart from just about every health plan currently available. You are able to apply for the TONIK plan of choice with the new Tonik online application. You can be covered in less than ten minutes!
Enrolling in one of TONIK's plans though Medequote is as easy . We are a Blue Cross of California Premier Partner Agency. That means our applications get more attention and are processed quicker.
Visit www.tonikhealthquote.com for more information.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Nevada Tonik Plans
Anthem BCBS of Nevada announces that they have made available the new and exciting Tonik health plan to residents of Nevada.
The plan is a breakthrough product first developed in California, by BC of California. One simple plan, three different deductibles, and dr visit options, ER, prescriptions, dental, and vision all in one affordable package. Tonik is marketed to the 18-29 year old demographic which represent the highest percentage of healthy people without health insurance in Nevada, the young invincibles.
So if you live in Nevada, you no longer have to gamble by not having health insurance, everyone can afford Tonik! For more informations www.tonikhealthquotes.com
The plan is a breakthrough product first developed in California, by BC of California. One simple plan, three different deductibles, and dr visit options, ER, prescriptions, dental, and vision all in one affordable package. Tonik is marketed to the 18-29 year old demographic which represent the highest percentage of healthy people without health insurance in Nevada, the young invincibles.
So if you live in Nevada, you no longer have to gamble by not having health insurance, everyone can afford Tonik! For more informations www.tonikhealthquotes.com
Colorado Tonik Plans
Anthem BCBS of Colorado's new Tonik health insurance product designed to be marketed to the 18-19 year old demographic has taken the state by storm. The product has been very popular with students and graduates alike. The biggest surprise is consumers from 1-64 are also signing up for the Tonik. Any healthy applicant regardless of age can be accepted into the program.
Colorado residents love the fact that they are covered head to toe and can visit any emergency room. The plan includes copays for doctor visits, Rx, and emergency room. The dental plan pays 100% for checkups, and 80% for fillings! The vision provides for an $50 toward your eyes exam and deep discounts on contacts, and eyewear!The BCBS Tonik plan is the hottest thing to enter the Colorado Health Insurance market in some time!
The plan is available in three different deductibles, $1500, $3000, and $5000. All are 100% plans with out any coinsurance, and no hassles! Your yearly out of pocket for Hospitilization and Surgery equals your yearly deductible, everything else is first dollar coverage!
Visit www.tonikhealthquotes.com for more information.
Colorado residents love the fact that they are covered head to toe and can visit any emergency room. The plan includes copays for doctor visits, Rx, and emergency room. The dental plan pays 100% for checkups, and 80% for fillings! The vision provides for an $50 toward your eyes exam and deep discounts on contacts, and eyewear!The BCBS Tonik plan is the hottest thing to enter the Colorado Health Insurance market in some time!
The plan is available in three different deductibles, $1500, $3000, and $5000. All are 100% plans with out any coinsurance, and no hassles! Your yearly out of pocket for Hospitilization and Surgery equals your yearly deductible, everything else is first dollar coverage!
Visit www.tonikhealthquotes.com for more information.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Tonik sales are brisk
The new super site for Tonik health insurance www.tonikhealthquotes.com had a big first week as it began to charge to the top of the google search rankings. "Like it's sister product UniCare Sound it should do pretty well in it's first month", says John Berkowitz of Medequote.
While the Sound product isn't new in California, it has never been marketed nationally before, and now that Anthem will be adding it to all their BCBS affiliates super sites marketing one single product nationally are the way to go.
What this does is give's consumers a single resource to find exactly the right Tonik, or Sound product offered in the states they live. It is time that consumers should be able to gain access to all their questions in one place, and our Tonik health plans site at www.tonikhealthquotes.com does that.
While the Sound product isn't new in California, it has never been marketed nationally before, and now that Anthem will be adding it to all their BCBS affiliates super sites marketing one single product nationally are the way to go.
What this does is give's consumers a single resource to find exactly the right Tonik, or Sound product offered in the states they live. It is time that consumers should be able to gain access to all their questions in one place, and our Tonik health plans site at www.tonikhealthquotes.com does that.
Monday, July 17, 2006
Tonik will expand to more states in 2006
Tonik will expand to more states in 2006. The plan currently available in California, Colorado, and Nevada has proven to be very popular within the 18-29 demographic the plan is shooting for. Despite a marketing effort aimed at the young single uninsured's the plan has been popular with healthy people of all ages since the plan is open to everyone under the age of 64.
Future markets for the plan include, Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Georgia, Maine, Virginia, and Kentucky. Residents in those states have already been asking for Tonik plans, so sales are expected to do well in each state once the product hits the street.
Tonik is a simple health care program built around three easy to understand comprhensive health insurance plans that include also include dental and vision.
Since the plan is an internet application with all the paper eliminated the plan tends to do well in states where internet usage, and education is high. Stay tuned for announcements for the next states to go online.
www.tonikhealthquotes.com
Future markets for the plan include, Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Georgia, Maine, Virginia, and Kentucky. Residents in those states have already been asking for Tonik plans, so sales are expected to do well in each state once the product hits the street.
Tonik is a simple health care program built around three easy to understand comprhensive health insurance plans that include also include dental and vision.
Since the plan is an internet application with all the paper eliminated the plan tends to do well in states where internet usage, and education is high. Stay tuned for announcements for the next states to go online.
www.tonikhealthquotes.com
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
BCBS Tonik Health Super Site coming soon!
The long awaited arrival of the Tonik Health Super site www.tonikhealthquotes.com is almost here. The site designed to service consumers in California, Nevada, and Colorado will open it's doors to the public on July 17th. The site will provide national access to BCBS Tonik plans as they become more widely available.
John Berkowitz of Medequote says, "We took a long look at expanding into other states and felt that the BCBS Tonik, and UniCare Sound products gave us the best possibility for growth as the product expands nationwide over the next 18-24 months. Right now it is in three states, and the UniCare Sound product is currently in Illinois, and Texas.
Tonik is the creation of WellPoint's Blue Cross of California division. The plans have proven to be so popular in California that WellPoint has decided to distribute the Tonik Plan through almost all of it's BCBS companies in the near future. Expect Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin to all have the Tonik plans available in the near future. In non Wellpoint BCBS states expect WellPoint's UniCare affilate to expand the product into as many as 36 states over the next couple of years.
The BCBS Tonik plan is the hottest thing to enter the Health Insurance market in the last decade! The plan is available in three different deductible, $1500, $3000, and $5000. All are 100% plans with out any coinsurance, and no hassles! Your yearly out of pocket for Hospitilization and Surgery equals your yearly deductible, everything else is first dollar coverage!
The application process is simple, apply online, or over the phone, the whole process takes less than 10 minutes, and a healthy person can be covered right away!
Tonik's market is the 18-29 year old demographic which just happens to be the largest segment of non insured health people in the nation. WellPoint's goal is to bring them back into the system by offering a comprehensive, affordable, and hip medical plan. To WellPoint's credit the plan is already starting to make a large dent in the uninsured in California, Texas, Colorado, Illinois, and Nevada.
Student love the plan because it is quite often much better and less expensive then what is offered by their schools. Parents love the plan because it is affordable, has low deductibles, no coinsurance, and is easy to use and understand.
Even though the plan is marketed to the 18-29 year old demographic, anyone, of any age that is healthy is welcome to join. It isn't uncommon to see people in their 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's enrolling and getting accepted for the plan.
For more information please visit www.tonikhealthquotes.com and www.unicaresoundplans.com
John Berkowitz of Medequote says, "We took a long look at expanding into other states and felt that the BCBS Tonik, and UniCare Sound products gave us the best possibility for growth as the product expands nationwide over the next 18-24 months. Right now it is in three states, and the UniCare Sound product is currently in Illinois, and Texas.
Tonik is the creation of WellPoint's Blue Cross of California division. The plans have proven to be so popular in California that WellPoint has decided to distribute the Tonik Plan through almost all of it's BCBS companies in the near future. Expect Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin to all have the Tonik plans available in the near future. In non Wellpoint BCBS states expect WellPoint's UniCare affilate to expand the product into as many as 36 states over the next couple of years.
The BCBS Tonik plan is the hottest thing to enter the Health Insurance market in the last decade! The plan is available in three different deductible, $1500, $3000, and $5000. All are 100% plans with out any coinsurance, and no hassles! Your yearly out of pocket for Hospitilization and Surgery equals your yearly deductible, everything else is first dollar coverage!
The application process is simple, apply online, or over the phone, the whole process takes less than 10 minutes, and a healthy person can be covered right away!
Tonik's market is the 18-29 year old demographic which just happens to be the largest segment of non insured health people in the nation. WellPoint's goal is to bring them back into the system by offering a comprehensive, affordable, and hip medical plan. To WellPoint's credit the plan is already starting to make a large dent in the uninsured in California, Texas, Colorado, Illinois, and Nevada.
Student love the plan because it is quite often much better and less expensive then what is offered by their schools. Parents love the plan because it is affordable, has low deductibles, no coinsurance, and is easy to use and understand.
Even though the plan is marketed to the 18-29 year old demographic, anyone, of any age that is healthy is welcome to join. It isn't uncommon to see people in their 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's enrolling and getting accepted for the plan.
For more information please visit www.tonikhealthquotes.com and www.unicaresoundplans.com
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Tonik Student Health Insurance
Tonik is the perfect health insurance plan for California, Colorado, and Nevada students. The plan provides coverage for Hospital, Surgical, ER, Unlimited Doctor Visits, Prescriptions, Dental and Vision. What get's everyone's attention is the low price per month which ranges between $60 - $114 per month depending on your age, sex, where you live, or are going to school. The price may be low but the coverage isn't compared to so called Student Health Insurance Plans.
Parents like the BCBS Tonik Student plan because it provides a lot more coverage than is typically offered with school policies, and the large network gives nation wide coverage while traveling.
Students like the fact that they are covered head to toe and can visit any emergency room. The unlimited $40 copay for doctor visits means that health care is now affordable when they have a problem. The dental plan pays 100% for checkups, and 80% for fillings! The vision provides for an $50 toward your eyes exam and deep discounts on contacts, and eyewear!
The BCBS Tonik plan is the hottest thing to enter the Health Insurance market in the last decade! The plan is available in three different deductible, $1500, $3000, and $5000. All are 100% plans with out any coinsurance, and no hassles! Your yearly out of pocket for Hospitilization and Surgery equals your yearly deductible, everything else is first dollar coverage!
The application process is simple, apply online, or over the phone, the whole process takes less than 10 minutes, and a healthy person can be covered right away!
www.unicaresoundplans.com
www.medequote.net
www.tonikhealthquotes.com
Parents like the BCBS Tonik Student plan because it provides a lot more coverage than is typically offered with school policies, and the large network gives nation wide coverage while traveling.
Students like the fact that they are covered head to toe and can visit any emergency room. The unlimited $40 copay for doctor visits means that health care is now affordable when they have a problem. The dental plan pays 100% for checkups, and 80% for fillings! The vision provides for an $50 toward your eyes exam and deep discounts on contacts, and eyewear!
The BCBS Tonik plan is the hottest thing to enter the Health Insurance market in the last decade! The plan is available in three different deductible, $1500, $3000, and $5000. All are 100% plans with out any coinsurance, and no hassles! Your yearly out of pocket for Hospitilization and Surgery equals your yearly deductible, everything else is first dollar coverage!
The application process is simple, apply online, or over the phone, the whole process takes less than 10 minutes, and a healthy person can be covered right away!
www.unicaresoundplans.com
www.medequote.net
www.tonikhealthquotes.com
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Tonik Tips for Mosquito Season
That agonizing dive-bomber hum, that wispy tickle, the slap, the bump, the itch. Yes, it's skeeter time. Mosquitoes can carry diseases, but, more often, they just annoy us right out of our back yards or leave us with unpleasant reminders of a hike, a party or an afternoon of play. The most effective ways to beat these bugs are to keep them from breeding (rather than trying to kill the adult flying insects) and to stay indoors during their dusk-to-dawn prime time.
You may not think that you need health coverage to protect you from mosquito bites, but the pest is also a carrier of many diseases such as West Nile, and Malaria which can kill you if you don't get prompt attention. Make sure you have a quality health plan like Tonik from BCBS to protect you when the wrong bug bites you and puts a crimp in your lifestyle.
Here are a few tips to protect yourself.
1. Make water move. Mosquitoes lay eggs in still water, so make sure that fountain and pond water circulates constantly and that swimming pool and spa water is treated and filtered. Pond fish eat mosquito larvae but miss those hiding in vegetation.
2. Dry out pools. A mosquito nursery needs surprisingly little water, so inspect your entire property weekly to eliminate even small pools of H2O: low spots in lawns, gutters, boat tarps, pool covers, watering cans, buckets, tire ruts in driveways, leaky outdoor faucets, discarded soda cans, tire swings, wheelbarrows, saucers under pots, birdbaths, wading pools, children's toys. Encourage your neighbors to do the same. Screen rain barrels and empty them every 10 days.
3. Be skeptical about traps. Studies have shown that bug-zappers, which kill flying insects with a light beam, attract more insects than they kill -- and kill more beneficial insects than mosquitoes. Electrical and propane traps do catch mosquitoes, but no studies show they actually reduce users' chances of being bitten. Instructions for these pricey machines are to run them continually, even when you are not outdoors, and to set them far from the sitting area.
4. Use repellants with care. The most effective and long-lasting repellent ingredient still is DEET, according to recent tests by Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports magazine. Two others, oil of lemon eucalpytus and picaridin, worked less well and needed to be applied more often. All three are approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the federal Environmental Protection Agency as safe if used according to label directions. The chemicals work by scent, so don't apply them under clothing. Long pants, sleeves and socks also help. Folklore offers other supposed repellants such as Avon Skin-So-Soft lotion, but tests don't support their effectiveness, still a bath with Skin So Soft isn't a bad idea after being bitten all over your extremities.
5. Keep bugs out of the house. Inspect window screens and door edges for holes and gaps. Install spring or pneumatic closers on screen doors. Don't leave patio doors open, even to carry food and dishes in and out. Mosquitoes become most active in late afternoon -- just when you are grilling.
www.unicaresoundplans.com
www.medequote.net.com
www.tonikhealthquotes.com
You may not think that you need health coverage to protect you from mosquito bites, but the pest is also a carrier of many diseases such as West Nile, and Malaria which can kill you if you don't get prompt attention. Make sure you have a quality health plan like Tonik from BCBS to protect you when the wrong bug bites you and puts a crimp in your lifestyle.
Here are a few tips to protect yourself.
1. Make water move. Mosquitoes lay eggs in still water, so make sure that fountain and pond water circulates constantly and that swimming pool and spa water is treated and filtered. Pond fish eat mosquito larvae but miss those hiding in vegetation.
2. Dry out pools. A mosquito nursery needs surprisingly little water, so inspect your entire property weekly to eliminate even small pools of H2O: low spots in lawns, gutters, boat tarps, pool covers, watering cans, buckets, tire ruts in driveways, leaky outdoor faucets, discarded soda cans, tire swings, wheelbarrows, saucers under pots, birdbaths, wading pools, children's toys. Encourage your neighbors to do the same. Screen rain barrels and empty them every 10 days.
3. Be skeptical about traps. Studies have shown that bug-zappers, which kill flying insects with a light beam, attract more insects than they kill -- and kill more beneficial insects than mosquitoes. Electrical and propane traps do catch mosquitoes, but no studies show they actually reduce users' chances of being bitten. Instructions for these pricey machines are to run them continually, even when you are not outdoors, and to set them far from the sitting area.
4. Use repellants with care. The most effective and long-lasting repellent ingredient still is DEET, according to recent tests by Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports magazine. Two others, oil of lemon eucalpytus and picaridin, worked less well and needed to be applied more often. All three are approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the federal Environmental Protection Agency as safe if used according to label directions. The chemicals work by scent, so don't apply them under clothing. Long pants, sleeves and socks also help. Folklore offers other supposed repellants such as Avon Skin-So-Soft lotion, but tests don't support their effectiveness, still a bath with Skin So Soft isn't a bad idea after being bitten all over your extremities.
5. Keep bugs out of the house. Inspect window screens and door edges for holes and gaps. Install spring or pneumatic closers on screen doors. Don't leave patio doors open, even to carry food and dishes in and out. Mosquitoes become most active in late afternoon -- just when you are grilling.
www.unicaresoundplans.com
www.medequote.net.com
www.tonikhealthquotes.com
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Tonik Health Plan Sunshine Tips
No matter where you are, summertime is the time when you're most apt to get sunburned. Whether you go camping, swimming, or just out in the yard enjoying the weather, the sun is hot and it burns. Sunburn is burned skin so treat it gently and wait for it to heal. If it's severely painful or covered with blisters, see a doctor.
If you know you're going to be in the sun, use sunscreen and remember to reapply when it's needed, but even then, you can sunburn. And there are times when we are not prepared and find ourselves in the sun anyway. For those times, and for any time that you need to treat sunburn, there are frugal and simple remedies that work well.
The first line of defense is water - inside you, not outside. Drink plenty of fluids if you're going out into the sun. For every beer you slam down you should be drinking a glass of water as well.
When you get a sunburn, you want relief. You want to cool it and soothe it. Here's how - frugally.
First, though, don't bathe or shower right away. Stripping the skin of its natural oils and introducing it to an alkali soap is the last thing it needs when it's burned. If you've been in a swimming pool that has chlorine in the water, rinse the pool water off thoroughly, don't rub or use a cloth. Pat yourself dry.
Vinegar, that frugal wonder, rises to the occasion again as a cooling and effective treatment for sunburn. Soak towels with it and apply to the burned area, or fill a spray bottle and spray it directly on the skin. It's even been said that red wine vinegar, applied before going into the sun, will help you tan.
Pat cool, sugarless tea over the area. This is especially good for sensitive areas around the eyes. The tannin in tea is the active ingredient here. Put used and cooled teabags over your eyes if they feel hot and tired.
If your burn is painfully hot, seperate the white from the yolk of an egg, then spread the white over the burn. It will cool it instantly. Repeat as often as needed.
Aloe vera is a good natural remedy for burns and it works well for sunburn, but if you have bottled aloe vera gel or lotion leftover from last year, it may be worthless. It loses a definite amount of effectiveness over time. The fresher it is, the better it works.
Frugal tip: Use real aloe vera. Buy a plant and keep it on your kitchen windowsill. It grows easily and it's always there when you need it. Just cut off a "leaf" or spear, split it and rub it all over your sunburn. It's really soothing and it helps heal your skin. The plant grows back quickly, so it's a frugal investment.
Sunstroke kills 400 Americans's each summer, and most are young health adults, if you have any doubts you should run to the emergency room. If you have a Tonik Health Plan it isn't going to cost you an arm and a leg to get better. The most important health backup plan you can have is enrolling in the Tonik Health program through BCBS.
For more information visit www.medequote.met, www.unicaresoundplans.com, and www.tonikhealthquotes.com
If you know you're going to be in the sun, use sunscreen and remember to reapply when it's needed, but even then, you can sunburn. And there are times when we are not prepared and find ourselves in the sun anyway. For those times, and for any time that you need to treat sunburn, there are frugal and simple remedies that work well.
The first line of defense is water - inside you, not outside. Drink plenty of fluids if you're going out into the sun. For every beer you slam down you should be drinking a glass of water as well.
When you get a sunburn, you want relief. You want to cool it and soothe it. Here's how - frugally.
First, though, don't bathe or shower right away. Stripping the skin of its natural oils and introducing it to an alkali soap is the last thing it needs when it's burned. If you've been in a swimming pool that has chlorine in the water, rinse the pool water off thoroughly, don't rub or use a cloth. Pat yourself dry.
Vinegar, that frugal wonder, rises to the occasion again as a cooling and effective treatment for sunburn. Soak towels with it and apply to the burned area, or fill a spray bottle and spray it directly on the skin. It's even been said that red wine vinegar, applied before going into the sun, will help you tan.
Pat cool, sugarless tea over the area. This is especially good for sensitive areas around the eyes. The tannin in tea is the active ingredient here. Put used and cooled teabags over your eyes if they feel hot and tired.
If your burn is painfully hot, seperate the white from the yolk of an egg, then spread the white over the burn. It will cool it instantly. Repeat as often as needed.
Aloe vera is a good natural remedy for burns and it works well for sunburn, but if you have bottled aloe vera gel or lotion leftover from last year, it may be worthless. It loses a definite amount of effectiveness over time. The fresher it is, the better it works.
Frugal tip: Use real aloe vera. Buy a plant and keep it on your kitchen windowsill. It grows easily and it's always there when you need it. Just cut off a "leaf" or spear, split it and rub it all over your sunburn. It's really soothing and it helps heal your skin. The plant grows back quickly, so it's a frugal investment.
Sunstroke kills 400 Americans's each summer, and most are young health adults, if you have any doubts you should run to the emergency room. If you have a Tonik Health Plan it isn't going to cost you an arm and a leg to get better. The most important health backup plan you can have is enrolling in the Tonik Health program through BCBS.
For more information visit www.medequote.met, www.unicaresoundplans.com, and www.tonikhealthquotes.com
Monday, June 26, 2006
What is Tonik?
What it is: Tonik is an individual health policy designed for young adults, primarily for those ages 19 through their early 30s. It is provided by Indianapolis-based health insurer WellPoint Inc..
When it was rolled out: The plan was launched last year in California and is now available in Colorado, Nevada, Texas, and Illinois. Tonik, or similar products, will be offered across the country in the coming months.
When it will be in Indiana: By the end of 2006.
What it costs: Tonik users can pick from three separate plans: "Thrill Seeker," "Part-Time Daredevil" and "Calculated Risk Taker." Monthly premiums range from about $64 to $123, depending on a person's age, location and medical history. The deductible -- or out-of-pocket costs -- run from $1,500 to $5,000, depending on the plan. Doctor visits cost $20 to $40.•
Other features: Tonik plans include limited dental and vision benefits.
Who buys it: WellPoint said about 70 percent of those enrolling in Tonik were uninsured. Most are in their 20s or 30s, and slightly more than half are male.
About the uninsured: Roughly 45 million Americans, or almost 16 percent of the population, did not have health insurance in 2003. People 18 to 24 years old are the least likely of any age group to have health coverage, with 30 percent uninsured in 2003.
Source: National Coalition on Health CareHow important is health insurance to you?
When it was rolled out: The plan was launched last year in California and is now available in Colorado, Nevada, Texas, and Illinois. Tonik, or similar products, will be offered across the country in the coming months.
When it will be in Indiana: By the end of 2006.
What it costs: Tonik users can pick from three separate plans: "Thrill Seeker," "Part-Time Daredevil" and "Calculated Risk Taker." Monthly premiums range from about $64 to $123, depending on a person's age, location and medical history. The deductible -- or out-of-pocket costs -- run from $1,500 to $5,000, depending on the plan. Doctor visits cost $20 to $40.•
Other features: Tonik plans include limited dental and vision benefits.
Who buys it: WellPoint said about 70 percent of those enrolling in Tonik were uninsured. Most are in their 20s or 30s, and slightly more than half are male.
About the uninsured: Roughly 45 million Americans, or almost 16 percent of the population, did not have health insurance in 2003. People 18 to 24 years old are the least likely of any age group to have health coverage, with 30 percent uninsured in 2003.
Source: National Coalition on Health CareHow important is health insurance to you?
WellPoint says new line will cut ranks of uninsured
Matt Reiswerg is young, active and healthy. He hasn't spent a night in the hospital since he was born. The professional soccer goalkeeper works out regularly at a fitness club near his home in Indianapolis to stay in shape. He also is busy searching for a job in the sports industry.
One thing that Reiswerg has not done, though, is buy health insurance to replace his policy, which expired earlier this year. That puts him among the estimated 45 million Americans without health benefits.
Reiswerg, who recently has worked as a youth soccer coach, said his decision largely has been a financial one.
"It seems like I have a million things that I'm spending money on," he said, adding that he plans to find coverage soon.
WellPoint Inc., the nation's largest health benefits company, is targeting people like Reiswerg. If you're young and fairly healthy, WellPoint wants you. The Indianapolis company next year will roll out a product line, called Tonik, which targets what WellPoint has called "young invincibles" -- those age 19 through their early 30s who are likely to go without health insurance. Some are students no longer covered by their parents' plans. Others are without jobs or working in positions that don't provide benefits.
Such individual plans are part of a new line of insurance products sprouting up as fewer Americans are getting health insurance from their employees because of the rising costs of health care.
WellPoint's hunt for youthful members is attracting praise and criticism.
Some supporters say it's an attempt to reduce the number of uninsured. "There are a number of folks who choose to be uninsured. I think it reaches that demographic," said Jim Atterholt, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Insurance. "Nobody was going after this segment until these products came out."
The insurance chief in Tonik's home state of California, however, sees little more than WellPoint trying to pad its profits.
"It's a slicing and dicing of the marketplace to identify those individuals who are willing to buy a policy and are not likely to need it," California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi said. "It's called cherry-picking."
Garamendi said the PPO products within WellPoint's Blue Cross of California, which includes Tonik, have a profit margin of roughly 25 percent. At the same time, he said, people who need more comprehensive coverage are finding it harder to get as many employers cut or reduce benefits because of higher costs.
"It's a process that will ultimately lead to a further decline in the entire health systems," Garamendi said.
WellPoint, however, defends Tonik as an effort to reduce the number of the uninsured. About 70 percent of those signing up for Tonik previously were without coverage, said Steve Synott, general manager of individual services for WellPoint's West Region.
One expert downplayed those claims. People seeking individual policies usually do so only because they can't get better coverage through an employer, said Gary Claxton, vice president of the Kaiser Family Foundation's Health Care Marketplace Project.
"Most people view non-group insurance as kind of a last refuge," he said. "It's not surprising that they might be currently uninsured."
Claxton said Tonik is a basic individual policy -- with its relatively low monthly premiums and high out-of-pocket costs -- that's been spiffed up with savvy marketing. For example, Indianapolis-based Golden Rule Insurance Co., part of UnitedHealth Group, said it offers similar individual plans through its Saver Plans launched this year for individuals and families in need of coverage.
Tonik, though, targets a very specific demographic.
"You're young. You're healthy. But, hey, life is unpredictable," Tonik promotional literature reads. "All it takes is one slip, one fall, one biff, and the financial pain can outweigh the physical."
Pictures of snowboarders and mountain bikers adorn Tonik's promotional materials. WellPoint touts Tonik at surfing contests and ski festivals. It advertises on Web sites including climbing.com and skateboarding.com.
Tonik's brochure, for example, hits readers with selected prices for health care if they don't have insurance: $7,175 for an average day in the hospital, or $48,302 for knee surgery and care.
The message is clear: Going without health coverage can bring financial ruin.
WellPoint launched Tonik last year in California and recently offered the product in Colorado. The company plans to offer Tonik or similar products across the country and expects the product to be available in Indiana by the end of 2006.
In many ways, it's an effort to make health insurance seem, well, hip.
People can pick from three Tonik plans: "Thrill Seeker" (the cheapest), "Part-Time Daredevil" (midpriced) and "Calculated Risk Taker" (the most expensive).
To design Tonik, WellPoint hired an outside researcher to interview young adults on their views about health insurance, specifically asking them why they might choose to go without coverage and what sorts of services are most important.
For instance, Synott said, the company learned that many of its target customers put a high priority on regular care for their teeth and eyes, even if they rarely went in for a medical checkup. As a result, Tonik includes limited dental and vision benefits.
They also wanted insurance that would be inexpensive and easy to sign up for, he added.
Most everything about Tonik can be handled online. WellPoint says about 60 percent of those who apply -- people who are generally healthy-- are approved quickly over the Internet and can print out an ID card.
Premiums for Tonik's three plans typically range from $64 to $123 a month depending on a person's age, location and medical history. The deductible, or out-of-pocket cost before coverage kicks in, can range from $1,500 to $5,000.
Tonik does not include maternity benefits, an exclusion the company said was needed to keep the plans affordable. If a Tonik member were to become pregnant, she would be able to transfer to another, likely much more expensive, plan that provides maternity benefits, company spokeswoman Leslie Porras said.
Garamendi, California's insurance commissioner, blasted WellPoint for marketing a policy that does not include maternity benefits to women in prime childbearing years. Women who can't pay, he said, likely would have their bills paid for by taxpayers.
Other medical needs that young adults commonly seek treatment for include addictions to alcohol or drugs and mental disorders such as depression, said Dan Hodgkins, executive director of health promotion for Community Health Network of Indianapolis.
WellPoint said Tonik's coverage does include caring for mental health and addiction disorders.
Lisa Ristvedt, 31, San Francisco, said Tonik is a great fit for her while she's between jobs. She said she considered extending the benefits from the telecommunications job she left in April through COBRA, a program that continues health coverage for former employees. But doing that, Ristvedt said, would have cost her about $250 a month. Instead, she opted for Tonik, which costs her $106 a month.
"I was actually without insurance for a couple months until I spoke with my mother, and she said you cannot be without insurance in San Francisco or anywhere else, for that matter," Ristvedt said. "I was so stressed out trying to get a job, I wasn't worrying about health insurance."
Reiswerg, the uninsured former soccer player, said he feels much the same way. The Indiana University graduate hopes to land a job with benefits soon. Otherwise, he said, he wants cheap, but not "super cheap," coverage to meet his medical needs.
"I do plan on covering myself soon," Reiswerg said. "For someone like me, who's not being provided health insurance by someone else, it's not terribly consumer-friendly. I have to go out and seek the best deal."
The plans are available at www.unicaresoundplans.com, www.medequote.net , and www.tonikhealthquotes.com
One thing that Reiswerg has not done, though, is buy health insurance to replace his policy, which expired earlier this year. That puts him among the estimated 45 million Americans without health benefits.
Reiswerg, who recently has worked as a youth soccer coach, said his decision largely has been a financial one.
"It seems like I have a million things that I'm spending money on," he said, adding that he plans to find coverage soon.
WellPoint Inc., the nation's largest health benefits company, is targeting people like Reiswerg. If you're young and fairly healthy, WellPoint wants you. The Indianapolis company next year will roll out a product line, called Tonik, which targets what WellPoint has called "young invincibles" -- those age 19 through their early 30s who are likely to go without health insurance. Some are students no longer covered by their parents' plans. Others are without jobs or working in positions that don't provide benefits.
Such individual plans are part of a new line of insurance products sprouting up as fewer Americans are getting health insurance from their employees because of the rising costs of health care.
WellPoint's hunt for youthful members is attracting praise and criticism.
Some supporters say it's an attempt to reduce the number of uninsured. "There are a number of folks who choose to be uninsured. I think it reaches that demographic," said Jim Atterholt, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Insurance. "Nobody was going after this segment until these products came out."
The insurance chief in Tonik's home state of California, however, sees little more than WellPoint trying to pad its profits.
"It's a slicing and dicing of the marketplace to identify those individuals who are willing to buy a policy and are not likely to need it," California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi said. "It's called cherry-picking."
Garamendi said the PPO products within WellPoint's Blue Cross of California, which includes Tonik, have a profit margin of roughly 25 percent. At the same time, he said, people who need more comprehensive coverage are finding it harder to get as many employers cut or reduce benefits because of higher costs.
"It's a process that will ultimately lead to a further decline in the entire health systems," Garamendi said.
WellPoint, however, defends Tonik as an effort to reduce the number of the uninsured. About 70 percent of those signing up for Tonik previously were without coverage, said Steve Synott, general manager of individual services for WellPoint's West Region.
One expert downplayed those claims. People seeking individual policies usually do so only because they can't get better coverage through an employer, said Gary Claxton, vice president of the Kaiser Family Foundation's Health Care Marketplace Project.
"Most people view non-group insurance as kind of a last refuge," he said. "It's not surprising that they might be currently uninsured."
Claxton said Tonik is a basic individual policy -- with its relatively low monthly premiums and high out-of-pocket costs -- that's been spiffed up with savvy marketing. For example, Indianapolis-based Golden Rule Insurance Co., part of UnitedHealth Group, said it offers similar individual plans through its Saver Plans launched this year for individuals and families in need of coverage.
Tonik, though, targets a very specific demographic.
"You're young. You're healthy. But, hey, life is unpredictable," Tonik promotional literature reads. "All it takes is one slip, one fall, one biff, and the financial pain can outweigh the physical."
Pictures of snowboarders and mountain bikers adorn Tonik's promotional materials. WellPoint touts Tonik at surfing contests and ski festivals. It advertises on Web sites including climbing.com and skateboarding.com.
Tonik's brochure, for example, hits readers with selected prices for health care if they don't have insurance: $7,175 for an average day in the hospital, or $48,302 for knee surgery and care.
The message is clear: Going without health coverage can bring financial ruin.
WellPoint launched Tonik last year in California and recently offered the product in Colorado. The company plans to offer Tonik or similar products across the country and expects the product to be available in Indiana by the end of 2006.
In many ways, it's an effort to make health insurance seem, well, hip.
People can pick from three Tonik plans: "Thrill Seeker" (the cheapest), "Part-Time Daredevil" (midpriced) and "Calculated Risk Taker" (the most expensive).
To design Tonik, WellPoint hired an outside researcher to interview young adults on their views about health insurance, specifically asking them why they might choose to go without coverage and what sorts of services are most important.
For instance, Synott said, the company learned that many of its target customers put a high priority on regular care for their teeth and eyes, even if they rarely went in for a medical checkup. As a result, Tonik includes limited dental and vision benefits.
They also wanted insurance that would be inexpensive and easy to sign up for, he added.
Most everything about Tonik can be handled online. WellPoint says about 60 percent of those who apply -- people who are generally healthy-- are approved quickly over the Internet and can print out an ID card.
Premiums for Tonik's three plans typically range from $64 to $123 a month depending on a person's age, location and medical history. The deductible, or out-of-pocket cost before coverage kicks in, can range from $1,500 to $5,000.
Tonik does not include maternity benefits, an exclusion the company said was needed to keep the plans affordable. If a Tonik member were to become pregnant, she would be able to transfer to another, likely much more expensive, plan that provides maternity benefits, company spokeswoman Leslie Porras said.
Garamendi, California's insurance commissioner, blasted WellPoint for marketing a policy that does not include maternity benefits to women in prime childbearing years. Women who can't pay, he said, likely would have their bills paid for by taxpayers.
Other medical needs that young adults commonly seek treatment for include addictions to alcohol or drugs and mental disorders such as depression, said Dan Hodgkins, executive director of health promotion for Community Health Network of Indianapolis.
WellPoint said Tonik's coverage does include caring for mental health and addiction disorders.
Lisa Ristvedt, 31, San Francisco, said Tonik is a great fit for her while she's between jobs. She said she considered extending the benefits from the telecommunications job she left in April through COBRA, a program that continues health coverage for former employees. But doing that, Ristvedt said, would have cost her about $250 a month. Instead, she opted for Tonik, which costs her $106 a month.
"I was actually without insurance for a couple months until I spoke with my mother, and she said you cannot be without insurance in San Francisco or anywhere else, for that matter," Ristvedt said. "I was so stressed out trying to get a job, I wasn't worrying about health insurance."
Reiswerg, the uninsured former soccer player, said he feels much the same way. The Indiana University graduate hopes to land a job with benefits soon. Otherwise, he said, he wants cheap, but not "super cheap," coverage to meet his medical needs.
"I do plan on covering myself soon," Reiswerg said. "For someone like me, who's not being provided health insurance by someone else, it's not terribly consumer-friendly. I have to go out and seek the best deal."
The plans are available at www.unicaresoundplans.com, www.medequote.net , and www.tonikhealthquotes.com
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Demand for BCBS Tonik/ UniCare Sound plans increasing dramatically!
One of the great phenomenon's of the insurance world is the Tonik Health product originally developed by Blue Cross of California for the 18-29 market in that state. The plan design has spread to Nevada, and Colorado. In Illinois and Texas the plan is known as the Sound marketed by fellow Wellpoint affiliate UniCare
John Berkowitz of Medequote comments "The Sound/Tonik plans are the most exciting health insurance plans available today. Most importantly they are leading the wave to the future in the health plans are marketed. We are going to see more diverse product designs that appeal to different age groups, and family model's. These type of plans are just the tip of the iceberg. In health insurance everybody follows the leader, and the leader is clearly WellPoint."
Berkowitz goes on to say "We get call's from all over the country requesting the Sound or tonik plan, and it will be eventually available everywhere, but currently it is only available in California, Colorado, Illinois, Texas, and Nevada. I am sure more state's will come on line before the end of they year. Wellpoint has 14 BCBS enitites, and all are scheduled to come out with a derivative of the plan. UniCare will handle the expansion into area's where they are not the primary BCBS affiliate. Obviously the plan has room for a lot of growth."
"If you are in a state without Sound and Tonik there are alternative's" says Berkowitz, "but the the WellPoint products are obviously on the cutting edge compare dto the competition. I have never seen a health insurance product where people across the country were demanding it so actively. Even though it is electronic, it can't be rolled out in each state as easy as a paper application, so it will take a couple of years till it is avaialble everywhere."
If you are interested on information about the most inovative plan available in health insurance history stop by www.unicaresoundplans.com
www.tonikhealthquotes.com
John Berkowitz of Medequote comments "The Sound/Tonik plans are the most exciting health insurance plans available today. Most importantly they are leading the wave to the future in the health plans are marketed. We are going to see more diverse product designs that appeal to different age groups, and family model's. These type of plans are just the tip of the iceberg. In health insurance everybody follows the leader, and the leader is clearly WellPoint."
Berkowitz goes on to say "We get call's from all over the country requesting the Sound or tonik plan, and it will be eventually available everywhere, but currently it is only available in California, Colorado, Illinois, Texas, and Nevada. I am sure more state's will come on line before the end of they year. Wellpoint has 14 BCBS enitites, and all are scheduled to come out with a derivative of the plan. UniCare will handle the expansion into area's where they are not the primary BCBS affiliate. Obviously the plan has room for a lot of growth."
"If you are in a state without Sound and Tonik there are alternative's" says Berkowitz, "but the the WellPoint products are obviously on the cutting edge compare dto the competition. I have never seen a health insurance product where people across the country were demanding it so actively. Even though it is electronic, it can't be rolled out in each state as easy as a paper application, so it will take a couple of years till it is avaialble everywhere."
If you are interested on information about the most inovative plan available in health insurance history stop by www.unicaresoundplans.com
www.tonikhealthquotes.com
Monday, June 19, 2006
Tonik Health Plans Available in Colorado
WellPoint continued it's campaign against young uninsured's by opening the Tonik Health Plan to residents of Colorado. The plan which originated in California and was created by Blue Cross of California has been a huge hit with resident's of that state. The same thing will undoubtedly happen in Colorado.
"The Colorado health insurance market really need's something like this, and it is long overdue" say's John Berkowitz of Medequote. "That could be said for every state of the union, UniCare Sound, or BCBS's Tonik, both WellPoint plans will continue to spread nationwide lowering the amounts of young uninsured's. The plan is perfect for about anybody, it has everything you need to stay healthy, plus it is really there when you are sick, or injured. the low out of pocket and extremely affordable price makes it the best choice for young singles."
www.unicaresoundplans.com
www.tonikhealthquotes.com
"The Colorado health insurance market really need's something like this, and it is long overdue" say's John Berkowitz of Medequote. "That could be said for every state of the union, UniCare Sound, or BCBS's Tonik, both WellPoint plans will continue to spread nationwide lowering the amounts of young uninsured's. The plan is perfect for about anybody, it has everything you need to stay healthy, plus it is really there when you are sick, or injured. the low out of pocket and extremely affordable price makes it the best choice for young singles."
www.unicaresoundplans.com
www.tonikhealthquotes.com
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Tonik leading the way for California Health Insurance
Insurance doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. In California, for instance, Blue Cross launched a policy in 2004 called TONIK that's aimed specifically at twenty somethings who want coverage for catastrophes but don't need a lot of other care. A plan with a $1,500 deductible and unlimited $40 doctor visits runs $90 a month. A $5,000 deductible plan with four $20 visits is $69. TONIK quickly became the company's second best-selling policy in California. Even better: 70% of buyers were previously uninsured.
You can now buy versions of TONIK in low-regulation states from Texas to Illinois. The plan called Sound is marketied under WellPoint UniCare brand and has proven to be equally popular.
There is fine print, of course. TONIK doesn't cover maternity benefits (pregnant members get bumped to a different plan).
California TONIK policies also don't cover brand-name drugs. But once you expect insurance to cover everything for everybody - as in New Jersey - and when you don't let plans treat people differently based on risk profiles, insurance stops being cheap. When it stops being cheap, young people decide to risk going without.
That choice is bad news for the unlucky young people who then endure expensive ski accidents and appendectomies. But it's bad news for older folks, too. Not only do all taxpayers foot hospital bills for uninsured people who can't pay, shoving young people out of insurance pools also raises rates for everyone else. If states truly want people covered, that's something to keep in mind.
All it takes is one $20,000 bill for medical care to change your mind on the neccesity of health insurance. Young consumers need to realize that they are not invincible, and that plans like Tonik, and UniCare Sound are an affordable answer.
www.tonikhealthquotes.com
www.unicaresoundplans.com
You can now buy versions of TONIK in low-regulation states from Texas to Illinois. The plan called Sound is marketied under WellPoint UniCare brand and has proven to be equally popular.
There is fine print, of course. TONIK doesn't cover maternity benefits (pregnant members get bumped to a different plan).
California TONIK policies also don't cover brand-name drugs. But once you expect insurance to cover everything for everybody - as in New Jersey - and when you don't let plans treat people differently based on risk profiles, insurance stops being cheap. When it stops being cheap, young people decide to risk going without.
That choice is bad news for the unlucky young people who then endure expensive ski accidents and appendectomies. But it's bad news for older folks, too. Not only do all taxpayers foot hospital bills for uninsured people who can't pay, shoving young people out of insurance pools also raises rates for everyone else. If states truly want people covered, that's something to keep in mind.
All it takes is one $20,000 bill for medical care to change your mind on the neccesity of health insurance. Young consumers need to realize that they are not invincible, and that plans like Tonik, and UniCare Sound are an affordable answer.
www.tonikhealthquotes.com
www.unicaresoundplans.com
Friday, June 16, 2006
Tonik Health Insurance Information
This is the Tonik health insurance blog. A place you can go to find out information and ask questions about WellPoint's BCBS Tonik product that started in California, and is now available, in Colorado, and Nevada. WellPoint plans to launch the product in all 14 of their BCBS marketing areas which include Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, Georgia, Missouri, and Wisconsin. In area's where they do not own the BCBS affilaite the plan will be marketed by UniCare under the Sound health plans brand. The Sound plan was recently released in Illinois, and Texas. Visit www.unicaresoundplans.com
to find out more information concerning the plan. www.tonikhealthplans.com
to find out more information concerning the plan. www.tonikhealthplans.com
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