Alternative health care insurance policies are typically offerings that appeal to those looking for limited or low cost insurance coverage. Medical alternative insurance may include plans that only cover hospital stays or discount cards that give patients access to reduced priced services.

Alternative health insurance education and training will involve learning how to offer different options to clients. Full coverage can be expensive and your goal would be to learn about alternative insurance options.

1. Get information on alternative health insurance policy plans. See the type of options that are currently available.

2. Gain access to educational materials for alternative health care insurance. Journals, articles and forums can give you information on alternative care insurance.

3. Go through broker training for alternative insurance. Learn about health insurance providers and alternative health plans.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find information from alternative health insurance providers

Provider information can allow you to look through each alternative health insurance plan and see what options are available. Look for terms like discount plans, high deductible plans, prescription only plans and hospital only benefits.

I recommend: MedHealthInsurance has numerous types of alternative policies, including a type that covers non-traditional therapies. Read through their policy descriptions for training purposes. COBRA is probably the most popular types of alternative health plans. Go to COBRA Insurance to learn about this policy and the act that protects it.

Read journals, articles and more that delve into alternative health insurance

You can find comprehensive information online that discusses alternative medicine insurance coverage. This area is fairly new and you will want to be well-informed before you start brokering these types of plans.

I recommend: Health Off the Grid is an e-book that discusses all aspects of alternative health insurance. It includes information on how to look at substitutes to HMO and other traditional insurance plans. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has information on alternative medicine insurance as well as links to publications that delve even further into the topic.

Look for alternative health insurance broker training

You may not be required by your state to learn about alternative insurance prior to getting your license. However, you can look for continuing education courses that cover topics related to medical alternative insurance.

I recommend: IRMI.com has continuing education courses for health insurance brokers that cover alternative plan options. Select your state in order to see the offerings available in your state. Choose your insurance area and the state that you reside in for continuing education courses from Agent Broker Training Center. The National Association of Alternative Benefit Consultants offers classes for insurance producers and brokers leading to certification as a Chartered Benefit Consultant.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Alternative medicine health insurance is another option that you can offer to clients. This type is the health insurance that covers alternative medicine, like non-Western practices. Policy coverage may include massage, water therapies, herbal supplements and acupuncture.

More and more Americans are looking for ways to improve their health and increase longevity. Many are turning to Alternative medicine health care insurance, or non traditional healthcare for total health care for total wellness that treats the mind, body and spirit. Although most insurance providers cover traditional medical care, but more and more insurers are acknowledging the increasing demand for alternative insurance. Some carriers offer alternative insurance coverage for treatments that are commonly used like chiropractic care or acupressure. In this guide you will learn:

1. About the benefits of negotiating alternative care insurance coverage with your customers.

2. Find creative solutions for customers requesting alternative medicine health insurance.

3. How to find alternative medicine health insurance coverage and alternative health insurance providers.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Offer coverage for commonly used alternative health treatments

A survey of 18 of the most popular HMOs and health care insurance providers showed that at least 14 covered up to 34 alternative health care treatments.

I recommend: Insurance providers like Aetna and Kaiser Permanente all offer their customers up to 34 alternative care insurance coverage for certain treatments.

Offer some if not complete coverage of alternative health care

If your insurance company doesn't offer alternative health insurance then consider alternative health care insurance plans that pay a portion of the cost.

I recommend: health insurance that covers alternative medicine is offered by Alternative Insurance and Med Health Insurance companies.

Offer a discount plan as an alternative to alternative health insurance coverage

Alternative health insurance providers can form an alliance with select alternative health care practitioners and offer customers a discount program providing a 20 to 30% discount for treatment.

I recommend: Several insurance providers have initiated discount programs for their customers. Programs like Blue Shield of California's program The Mylifepath Alternative care is one example of these types of discount alternative health care plans.

Consider using the services of an independent insurance broker

Independent brokers are licensed by the state to represent individuals with choosing their insurance. Independent brokers have the freedom to represent several insurance companies instead of just one. This means they have the skills and experience to help you choose a health insurance company to meet your needs and budget.

I recommend: Independent brokers like USA-Health Insurance research the rice, coverage and service of the insurance companies they represent. An independent broker can provide you with a variety of insurance quotes, including alternative care health insurance providers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Before choosing an alternative health insurance provider for your business, survey your employees to find out what kinds of coverage are most important to them.

Everyone needs health insurance, but the high cost can prevent people from purchasing a full health insurance plan. Small business owners looking to save money on employees' plans or self-employed people may want to consider alternative health insurance. However, for someone who's always had a traditional health insurance plan, it may be hard to understand the differences between the different types of plans. For example, a discount plan or health savings account is certainly a viable alternative, but they're very different from a traditional a health insurance plan.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

COBRA

For someone who's leaving his or her job to start a new business or someone who will have a gap in employment a COBRA plan should be considered. COBRA stands for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act and is a law that gives employees and families the opportunity to continue the same health insurance plan that they've had on the job.

I recommend: Go straight to the horse's mouth to get on COBRA from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Health savings account (HSA)

While not a health insurance plan, many people view health savings accounts, or HSAs, as a viable alternative to insurance. HSAs allow people to use pre-tax dollars to pay for their medical expenses.

I recommend: The U.S. Department of the Treasury has a brief description of health savings accounts as well as a more detailed downloadable PDF file.

Discount health plan

A discount health plan allows members to receive a discount off the cost of their medical care. It's not to be confused with a health insurance plan. Rather, consumers pay a monthly fee and then certain member doctors will give the members a discount off the full price of services.

I recommend: United Health Allies explains what a discount health plan is. The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud talks about the difference between a discount health plan and health insurance and why consumers should be wary of purchasing a discount plan.

Health reimbursement arrangement

A health reimbursement arrangement is similar to a health savings account, except that it is employer-funded. Employees must pay for medical expenses up front, but then their employer will reimburse a certain percentage. Employers receive tax advantages for doing this.

I recommend: The Bureau of Labor Statistics explains different types of health spending accounts, including health reimbursement arrangements. It also includes a side-by-side comparison.

Out-of-pocket maximum

This is the maximum amount of money that you will have to pay for your health care costs. This is similar to a deductible, which is how much you have to pay for a particular procedure, but the out-of- pocket maximum encompasses all costs throughout the year.

I recommend: Check out Money Under Thirty for simple definitions of all the costs you may have to pay for your insurance, including out-of-pocket maximum, deductible and co-pay.

Rider

A rider, sometimes called an optional rider or a health rider, is additional insurance that one can add to the basic health insurance plan. Common examples are dental and vision plans. Someone looking to save money on individual insurance plans may choose to go without this type of insurance.

I recommend: AgencyInfo.net discusses health insurance limitations and riders.