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| Category: Health:Medicine:Insurance |
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| About the Book | |
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I became interested in pet health insurance when some of my clients asked about it, and I realized that I needed to have some knowledge of the subject. I also have a few clients that have insurance and I have filled out and signed claim forms for them. I believe that more and more of our clients will purchase policies in the future because technology and the costs of delivering quality healthcare to pets have outpaced the ability of many pet owners to pay for it. Consequently, veterinarians and pet owners will have to become familiar with pet health insurance. In fact, surveys show that most pet owners would now consider purchasing pet health insurance. While pet owners and veterinarians alike will benefit by third party payment to help pay for the healthcare of pets, I’m convinced the real winners will be the pets. In this book, I will help you understand the current state of pet health insurance based on information I learned from visiting company websites and talking with their representatives. Based on my experience as a veterinarian, I will show you what I consider to be the most important factors when you are choosing a company and plan for your pet. I do not, however, recommend one company over another, but encourage pet owners to do their own research using the information they have gained from this book and visiting each company’s website to choose the right company and plan for their pet. Because pet owners may have differing needs when purchasing pet health insurance, there is no one company that is the best for everyone. I include a worksheet that will help pet owners narrow their choice of companies to one. After deciding on which company to purchase a policy from, there is another worksheet to help them pick the plan that gives them the most coverage for the least out-of-pocket cost. Please realize that new companies will likely start up after this book is written. Existing companies may also update their policies, procedures, or premiums to remain competitive as the industry continues to evolve. Regardless, this book should alert you to the important issues to consider before you purchase a policy either from an existing company or a new company that may start up in the future. Table of Contents SO, HOW DOES IT WORK? • Basic terms you should be familiar with and what they mean • How benefits are figured and paid when a claim is filed KNOW WHAT IS AND IS NOT COVERED • Potential exclusions you should be aware of and why they are important when considering which company you will purchase a policy from. SAMPLE INVOICES AND REIMBURSEMENTS • A comparison of how 2 companies paid on several wellness procedure claims – one company pays according to a defined benefit schedule and the other on what is usual, customary, and reasonable (UCR) per geographic region of the country • How 8 companies paid on 3 accident/illness claims and what was learned from the process. HOW TO CHOOSE WHICH PET INSURANCE COMPANY AND PLAN IS BEST FOR YOU • Factors to consider before purchasing a policy to try and avoid a claim being denied • A couple of tables that summarize how the companies differ when considering these factors • Active links to each company’s website along with information I gathered about their policies that isn’t readily discernable on their website. There is also an active link to a website where consumers post reviews on each company. • Tables to help you summarize your findings after doing your research and narrow down the choices of companies and policies. BEWARE OF MANAGED CARE • How pet owners and veterinarians can avoid the problems that plague human health insurance. APPENDIX • Tables you can print and use in your research
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| About the Author | |
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Dr. Kenney graduated in 1977 from the Auburn University School of Veterinary Medicine. After practicing briefly in North Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi, he has been practicing small animal medicine and surgery at Frayser Raleigh Animal Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee since 1982. His main interest is wellness care and preventative medicine. He also has an interest in pet health insurance and how it can be beneficial to veterinarians, pet owners, and their pets. |