Health Insurance Through Life

In all the five phases, Sophie’s health insurance covered her against the risk of meeting medical expenses. Premiums paid came from the husband’s salary in the first phase and his benefits from the second to the fifth phase. However, the health insurance plans covered the whole family in the first phase and for Sophie and her five children in other phases. In the first two phases, the families’ budget was quite favoring, but as Sophie’s grew old, starting from the third phase, their budget became a challenge. In the first phases, the best insurance option would be preferred provider organization plan, which is a bit expensive, but very flexible (Lambert, Miriam, Susan 2010). With this plan, Sophie and her family have access to providers they choose and they are not limited to a list of doctors within their plan. In the second phase, Sophie should go for a less expensive plan, like the mini medical insurance plan in order to cut costs, (Barbara, 2007).The plan is less flexible but it can still cover a number of predetermined doctor’s visits.

In the third phase, health saving account is the best plan as it is inexpensive and caters for her drugs, its premiums are lower, and the plan offers a large discount on medical expenses (Rick, Robert, 2006). This plan is however limited to the number of doctors one can go for. In the fourth phase, Medicare health insurance option is the best option to go for, because she is eligible to the plan, because of her financial problems, age, disease and the fact that she is in dire need of a nursing home care (Jeff, 2006). In the fifth phase, state Medicaid health insurance plan is the best option, because all her finances are exhausted. This service is granted upon application from the local Department of Social Services. The plan becomes a better option, because she has kids, her disease is fatal and her assets are minimal. In the fourth and fifth plan, there is no list of predetermined doctors that Sophie could pay a visit at her own wish (Kristina, Bartlett Learning, 2010).