As anyone who has had to pay for health insurance directly can tell you, the cost of insuring a family of 4 has risen tremendously over the past few decades. Many small and medium sized companies can no longer continue to provide their employees with expensive major medical policies.

Increasingly, companies are asking employees to share more of the burden of health insurance, and some businesses are terminating their health insurance altogether. Other companies do not take on full time workers so that they can save the cost of providing health benefits.

If your company does not provide health insurance, most likely you will either have to purchase an expensive major medical policy yourself or do without. Because of the high cost, many families choose to go without these important benefits. The cost of health insurance can take a big bite out of a middle income family's budget. Often the cost of health insurance will equal a rent payment. Even if you can afford the high price of health insurance, if you suffer from even very treatable chronic illnesses like asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease, you can be refused coverage. As a Senior Regional Sales Director for AmeriPlan®, I have even spoken to people who have been turned down for excess weight and prescription drug use by insurance companies. It seems like the big insurance companies are looking for reasons not to insure people, so those individuals who need it most may find themselves without any coverage.

Fortunately, Discount Health Plans offer families a way to save money on their health care costs. But what are discount health plans and how can they be used to help families and businesses?

Discount health plans can be used as stand alone health programs for those individuals or families that lack dental or health insurance. These discount programs provide needed savings on all medical and dental services. Consumers can even save money on medical costs not normally covered by traditional insurance such as cosmetic surgery, cosmetic dentistry, Lasik eye surgery, and even alternative medicine. Since these discount health plans are not insurance, pre-existing and ongoing conditions are accepted. You cannot be turned down!

These plans can also be used as supplemental benefits. Businesses can save money by purchasing a high deductible health savings account or a catastrophic plan. A discount medical plan is purchased along with the high deductible plan to provide supplemental benefits. These supplemental benefits provide savings on routine health expenditures while the catastrophic insurance provides a safety net for lengthy hospitalizations and complex care. This allows companies to save money on their health insurance while providing their valued employees with the security that they need.

Dental Plus

Discount dental plans provide the consumer with an excellent choice for saving money on dental care. These affordable dental plans are reasonably priced alternatives to expensive dental insurance plans. Savings can range from 25% for specialist treatment to 80% for exams. Most major dental procedures such as root canals, fillings, crowns and bridges, dentures, and orthodontic treatment offer savings from 50% to 60%--literally cutting a family's dental bill in half. In addition, patients with ongoing conditions can qualify for these plans, and there are no limits on visits or services. The AmeriPlan Dental Plus Plan not only helps you save money at the dentist but also offers you valuable savings on vision care, prescriptions, and chiropractic treatment.

Basic Health

At AmeriPlan, we also offer a Basic Health Plan which provides for savings on medical examinations and procedures. Ancillary services such as laboratory tests, imaging studies (MRIs, CAT scans), physical therapy, diabetic supplies, hearing aids, and mental health services are also provided. A 24/7 nurse line and wellness program are also included in our Basic Health Program. Should hospitalization become necessary, the patient will be assigned an advocate who will negotiate the hospital bill and work out a payment plan. Hospital bills have been drastically reduced through these advocacy programs.

If you are having trouble paying for costly prescriptions, AmeriPlan has a prescription advocacy program that will provide you with free prescriptions for just a small monthly service fee. This program takes advantage of patient assistance programs run by pharmaceutical companies. For more information check out the AmeriPlan Prescription Advocacy Program.

Total Health

Total Health is the combined medical and dental discount plan offered by AmeriPlan. The Total Health Plan combines all of the features of our dental, vision, prescription, and chiropractic program with discounts on physician visits, ancillary services, hospital advocacy, and a 24/7 nurse line.

Total Health Plus

For even more protection for your family, try our Total Health Plus Program. This is our complete package and includes all of our health and dental programs...physician, dental, vision, prescription, chiropractic, ancillary services, hospital advocacy, nurseline, and more. By participating in the Total Health Plus plan, you also receive the AmeriPlan Legal, the AmeriPlan Auto Club, and the AmeriPlan Identity Theft Assitance programs.

When looking for a discount health plan, here are some things to consider. Look for a company that is a member of both the Consumer Health Alliance and the National Association of Dental Plans. These two organizations set strict standards for discount dental and medical programs, and are your assurance of the company's integrity and reputation. Also look for a plan that offers a good choice of dentists, doctors, and other healthcare providers in your area. The company should also provide an 800 customer service number. For more information visit our website at: Health Plans Plus.