Many companies that are offering insurance to their employees are doing so through companies like CIGNA and UNICARE. These are two primary insurance companies that offer group health insurance for less money than you would expect to pay when you get group health insurance at a major company. Both CIGNA and UNICARE are accepted at a number of different hospitals and clinics, as well as through doctors in the United States.
Global Insurance Matters for Global Travelers
UNICARE seems to have an advantage over CIGNA as it gives those who are insured with them extra coverage when it comes to being insured in other countries. Whereas CIGNA is a domestic insurance company, UNICARE is a company that is worldwide. You can use UNICARE outside the United States whereas you cannot do the same for CIGNA.
Advantage of Price for Domestic Travelers
When it comes to premiums, however, CIGNA has UNICARE beat. CIGNA insurance is cheaper than UNICARE coverage by far, even if you give a side by side review of the same people with the same conditions. Both CIGNA and UNICARE have an exclusion policy for those with a pre-existing condition.
Many companies offer CIGNA insurance as part of their group coverage. This is because the company is widely accepted throughout the United States and has a variety of different coverage available. CIGNA offers both a HMO and a PPO by way of coverage. The PPO coverage allows the insured to choose their own doctor and not have to rely on doctors that are in the network. HMO coverage only allows the insured to choose doctors that are in their own network.
Weighting the Pros & Cons of HMO v/s PPO
UNICARE also offers HMO and PPO coverage, with it being slightly stronger on the HMO. The cost for an HMO coverage with UNICARE is about the same as it is with CIGNA. Many people do not like the idea of HMO coverage for health insurance because they cannot choose their own doctors. This is why many people prefer to pick a PPO that allows them to choose their own doctors and health care facilities. UNICARE has better rates for the PPO.
While CIGNA is more widely accepted by the vast majority of medical care providers, UNICARE appears to be up and coming. And because UNICARE is accepted in other countries, where CIGNA is not, many people who travel prefer to get UNICARE over CIGNA.
If you are just looking to save money, you may want to choose CIGNA. They have a good plan for HMO coverage that is affordable for just about anyone. This HMO plan offers the same type of coverage as the more expensive coverage afforded by UNICARE. You also have a much wider selection of doctors and health care providers when you choose CIGNA over UNICARE.
When you choose UNICARE, you have the comfort of knowing that you have a good plan, especially if it is a PPO, and that you can be covered when you go out of the country. Many people do not mind paying extra money for health insurance coverage if they can choose their own doctors, as they can with a PPO health care plan.
Source by Joe Deacon
