Health insurance and how did it evolved

As it is commonly known that the health insurance pays for the medical expenses. Now the question is what kind of medical expenses does a health insurance cover? To give an answer to this question we must study about the evolution of the health insurance from the very beginning. However, these days the term health insurance is used in a much broader concept as it was earlier. Now sometimes the health insurance also covers disability costs and also long-term nursing and custodial care is it may be needed. The fact is that these health insurance policies are both provided through a government-sponsored social insurance program as well as private insurance companies. No matter who may provide them the beneficiaries need to pay premiums or taxes, and in return the health care policies help protect themselves against the high and unexpected health care costs. However, the health care medical expenses may also be provided through the social welfare programs founded by the government.

Let us now have a look at the history of the health insurance plans. It was Hugh the Elder Chamberlen from the Peter Chamberlen family, who was the first one to propose about the health care insurance plans in 1694. And perhaps the accidental insurance was the first among the health insurance policies first launched during the late 19th century. This was something like the modern disability insurance. This type of policies continued till the start of the 20th century. The accidental insurance was first launched in the United States by the Franklin Health insurance Company of Massachusetts, which was founded in 1850. They offered insurance against the injuries from accidents caused by railroads and steamboats. Soon after, by the year 1966, about sixty companies were found to be offering accidental insurance in the United States. However, the main drawback was that other than the accidental insurance the Medicare beneficiaries were to pay for all other medical costs. Later during the late 20th century begins the start of the modern health insurance programs. And gradually it evolved and the present day Medicare policies covers a lot more things like preventives, emergency health care procedures, prescription drugs and others.

Other than the original Medicare policies these days there are also the Medicare Supplement Plans. The Medicare Supplement Plans or the Medigap policies are supplementary health insurance policies that are sold by the private insurance companies. These policies are not independent policies and are closely related with the Original Medicare. The purpose of the Medicare Supplement Plans is to fill up the gap between the policy coverage of the Original Medicare plans and the actual medical bill payable. That is a reason why these policies are also known as the Medigap plans. However, though these plans are totally administered and sold by the private insurance companies still there are only 12 standard plans under the letter heads A through L that they are permitted to sell. And along with that it should also be remembered that each of these policies provides different benefits but the policies under the same latter cover should provide same coverage, irrespective of the company selling them.

Thus it is seen that the health insurance policies have developed a lot in the last few years and thus providing better coverage for the better benefit of the policy holders.

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Title:	Health insurance and how did it evolved
Author:	William Richards
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Health insurance and how did it evolved