Online Degree Programs: How to Tell the Good From the Bad HPK

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Advances in technology over the past decade have propelled colleges and universities into the realm of online education, creating a crowded market for students considering an online degree.

But not all programs are a safe bet.

Online colleges have been criticized for putting profits over students; some have even been the subject of lawsuits claiming misrepresentation or fraud. To avoid scams, students need to be savvy consumers and do their research before signing up for an online degree program, experts say.

How to Start Trading forex (4 steps)

The forex market is the largest in the world, offering many trading opportunities for experts and beginners. In order to boost your chances of making a profit you need to know how to trade forex before delving into the most liquid market in the world. The main principle to understand when you learn forex trading is the same as any investment; buy low, sell high. There is more to it than that though, as our guide to how forex works will explain.

Forex Trading Basics

The first thing to understand when learning the forex trading basics, is that currencies come in pairs. If a trader believes one currency will rise in value (strengthen or appreciate) they will buy that currency while selling the other at the same time.

Take the major EUR/USD pair for example. A trader thinking the USD will strengthen would buy this currency, while simultaneously selling their euros. The USD will then hopefully rise in value before the trader closes their position and sells the USD at a higher value than they first bought, making a decent profit. The trader will make a loss if the USD does not strengthen, though trading in pairs means they can profit no matter which way the exchange price moves if they back the right side.

Open a Trading Account

Now that you understand the forex trading basics, you can take the next steps to making trades. The first step is to open a trading account. This is a simple process which involves entering personal details and depositing funds into your account.

Most platforms will offer a demo account, which is a good idea to use and practise on before putting any of your own finances at risk. When choosing a trading account to open, consider the leverage, commissions and fees that are involved along with the currencies offered, to find the best option for your trading level and aims.

Ways to Trade FX

There are a few different ways to trade forex, yet for each one the main principles picked up when you learn forex trading should all be applied.

• Spot Market: Currencies are bought and sold at their current price.
• Spread Betting: Traders can speculate on currency markets and trade on the price movements whether they rise or fall.
• Contract for Difference: There is no expiry date on speculative positions with CFD trading on the forex market.
• MT4: A popular FX trading platform, MT4 offers flexible lot sizes.

If you feel comfortable in knowing how to trade forex, choose one of these methods and an appropriate platform to begin exchanging currencies for a profit here at Sharp Trader.

Step 1. What is forex?

forex, or Foreign Exchange is an unregulated market, also known as OTC (Over-the-counter) and is the biggest market with average daily turn-over that runs into billions. It is even bigger than the US stock markets. Although due to its OTC nature, no one can really give the correct numbers as to the forex turnover. But nonetheless, forex is indeed a big market and thus allows many market participants. From your neighborhood bank to specialized investment companies, to your friend; the forex markets always offers a piece of the action whoever you are and wherever you are (even from your home).

The basic concept of trading forex is very simple. You trade or speculate against other traders on the direction of a currency.

So, if you believe that the Euro is going to rise, you would BUY the Euro, or SELL the Euro if you think the Euro would fall. It’s as simple as that.

Step 2. Learn forex Basics

How to start trading forex online

Before you get ready to deposit your funds and start trading there are some important points you must understand, each of which are outlined below.

Forex Brokers: In order to start trading forex, you will need to trade with the help of a forex broker. There are many forex brokers out there today who allow you to open a forex trading account for as little as $5. The forex broker is the one who facilitates your buy and sell orders and also allows you to research into the markets (also known as technical or fundamental analysis) to help you make more informed decisions… and of course allows you deposit more funds or withdraw your profits when you want to.  (  Click here to see our forex brokers rating )

Trading Platform:You need a trading platform from which you can place your trades, which are then sent to the broker for settlement. Also, a trading platform is essential for you to conduct your technical analysis and also to see the current market prices. Most retail brokers offer the MT4 (short for MetaTrader 4) trading platform, which is free of cost. You can also open a demo trading account and practice trading with virtual money to gain the experience required before trading with real money.

Forex Trading Hours:While you might have heard that the forex markets never sleeps, it actually does. Firstly, you won’t be able to trade on weekends (Saturday and Sundays). But for the rest of the week, the forex market operates 24 hours a day. This is due to the fact that forex trading is global. At any point in time, you will always find an overlap of a new market session while the previous market closes. What time of the day or which market session you trade plays a big role if you are an intra-day trader or a scalper. This is another vast topic, which we will cover at a later stage. (  Click here to learn more about forex trading hours. )

Now that you have a basic overview of the forex markets, here are some final pointers to remember before you start trading for yourself.

What is a pip?:Pip is a measure of change in a currency pair’s value and is the 5th decimal. For example, if EURUSD changes from 1.31428 to 1.31429, the change is denoted as 1Pip (1.31428 – 1.31429 = 0.00001). When you trade, the more pips you make, the more profit you have. Ex: Buying EURUSD at 1.31428 and selling (or closing your trade) at 1.31528 would give you 100Pips in profit. (  Read more about forex PIP )

Reading quotes: forex quotes are presented in a Bid and Ask price (both of which vary by a few pips and from one broker to another). The Bid price is the price at which you can buy and the Ask price is the price as which you can sell. So, a EURUSD quote would look like this 1.31428(Bid)/1.31420(Ask).

What is a Spread?: Spread is nothing but the difference between the Bid and Ask price. So in the above example, for 1.31428/1.31420, the spread would be 8 Pips.  (  Read more about forex Spread)

What is a Leverage?: Leverage is the amount by which you can request your broker to magnify (or increase) your trade value. Leverage is often quoted in ratios such as 1:50, which means that when trading on a 1:50 leverage, your $100 is magnified to $50000. Leverage is a big topic in itself and it is recommended to read this article to learn more. Leverage is important both in terms of making profits as well as managing risks and therefore, your trades.

What is a Lot?: A lot is a unit by which you place your trade. In financial terms, a lot is also referred to as a contract. There are preset lots (or contract sizes) that you can trade. For example a standard lot is nothing but 100,000 units (known as 1 lot).  (  Read more about Lot)

Reading charts: The ability to understand and read the charts is very essential to trading. Depending on your approach, you can choose between a line, bar or candlestick charts and trade accordingly (for example trading based on candlestick patterns). (  Read more How to read forex charts)

Placing Orders (How to buy and sell): In forex trading, it is possible to either buy or sell any currency pair. Most trading platforms, give you this option. You Buy when you think that price will go up and you sell when you think that price will fall. There is a common terminology used in forex trading, which is Buy Low, Sell High; which is an important point to remember. (  Read more How to place orders with MT4 )

Order Types: Besides buy and sell, another point to remember the types of orders. There are two basic order types: Market orders and pending orders. When you click on ‘Buy’ or ‘Sell’ you are basically buying (or selling) at the current market price. A limit order on the other hand tells the broker that you want to buy or sell only at a particular price.  (  Read more about Types of forex orders)

Finally, now that you have selected a forex broker to trade with it is recommended to first open a demo trading or a practice account. Most forex brokers offer unlimited demo trading account (but will be deactivated if not used for 30 days). This is a good way to get acquainted with the forex markets and also help you to understand your trading style (scalper or intra day trading, swing trading, etc) and approach (fundamental or technical analysis). You can search for various trading methods and systems or you can develop one yourself when you have a good understanding of technical or fundamental indicators.

Here you’ll find forex explained in simple terms. If you’re new to forex trading, we’ll take you through the basics of forex pricing and placing your first forex trades.‘forex’ is short for foreign exchange, also known as FX or the currency market. It is the world’s largest form of exchange, trading around $4 trillion every day, and it is open to major institutions and individual investors alike.

Forex Explained

The aim of forex trading is simple. Just like any other form of speculation, you want to buy a currency at one price and sell it at higher price (or sell a currency at one price and buy it at a lower price) in order to make a profit.Some confusion can arise as the price of one currency is always, of course, determined in another currency. For instance, the price of one British pound could be measured as, say, two US dollars, if the exchange rate between GBP and USD is 2 exactly.In forex trading terms this value for the British pound would be represented as a price of 2.0000 for the forex pair GBP/USD. Currencies are grouped into pairs to show the exchange rate between the two currencies; in other words, the price of the first currency in the second currency.Some commonly traded forex pairs (known as ‘major’ pairs) are EUR/USD, USD/JPY and EUR/GBP, but it is also possible to trade many minor currencies (also known as ‘exotics’) such as the Mexican peso (MXN), the Polish zloty (PLN) or the Norwegian krone (NOK). As these currencies are not so frequently traded the market is less liquid and so the trading spread may be wider.

Forex trading spread

Specifically, changes in interest rates from eight of the world's major central banks is what drives the forex market. The great thing about understanding these is the fact you don't have to be an economist or good at math - just a desire to understand how the forex market works and to find high probability trading opportunities is all it takes. So, let's start at the beginning with some interest rate basics...

Understanding forex Interest Rates

Before we get deeper into interest rates, it's important to understand why exactly they are important to forex traders. That reason is because forex trades are made in pairs. You are essentially buying once currency whilst selling another. As an example, if you buy the USDJPY currency pair you would effectively be borrowing Japanese Yen (or selling) to buy US Dollars. Therefore you would be paying interest on what you borrowed (the Japanese Yen interest rate) whilst earning interest on what you are buying (the US Dollar). The rest of this education series details more about this and how to use the carry trade to profit from such a situation so remember to check it out.

Benefits Of Online College Through The Student So Important

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Online Degree Programs: How to Tell the Good From the Bad

Advances in technology over the past decade have propelled colleges and universities into the realm of online education, creating a crowded market for students considering an online degree.

But not all programs are a safe bet.

[Discover why online education may transform higher ed.]

Online colleges have been criticized for putting profits over students; some have even been the subject of lawsuits claiming misrepresentation or fraud. To avoid scams, students need to be savvy consumers and do their research before signing up for an online degree program, experts say.

Why health insurance Is Important?

Getting hurt or sick isn’t something a person wants to happen, but unexpected medical events do occur. Having a health insurance plan helps pay for some of those unexpected costs, and provides financial protection against ongoing large medical bills. Here are some of the advantages of health insurance:

1. With the passing of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, there is no longer a limit on how much your health insurance will pay. Before Obamacare was law, health insurance policies

had a lifetime maximum of $1 million, $2 million, or sometimes $5 million dollars. Someone with ongoing cancer surgeries and treatment could hit that $1 million mark easily, and then be left without health insurance unless they enrolled in an expensive, high risk insurance program. Today those barriers are gone, and individuals who need health insurance to treat chronic illnesses are able to get the care they need without worrying about hitting a maximum amount on their healthcare plan.

health insurance companies

can no longer cancel an individual’s health policy because they have a chronic disease, or discriminate against individuals with a critical condition and charge them more for health insurance. There is equality for all under the Affordable Care Act.

Anyone with a pre-existing condition can still buy health insurance, and should buy health insurance, to help combat conditions that need extra medical care, and provide some financial backing to help pay for doctor and hospital visits.

insurance companies offer network services that cost far less that out-of-network physicians and hospitals, making healthcare more affordable for policyholders.

Preventive services are now covered for free under the Affordable Care Act mandate. This is especially helpful for screenings, vaccines and checkups, and you don’t have to meet your deductible in order to get these services at no cost.

Cost assistance is available to help lower the monthly expense of health insurance. Know as a tax credit or tax subsidy, federal money helps those that make between 100%-400% of the Federal Poverty Level. (For an individual that is between $11,770 – $47,080, depending on the state.) With cost assistance, individuals paid an average of less than $100 a month for a plan on the marketplace in 2015. That is a $268 savings each month.

If you carry a qualified health insurance plan

, you won’t have to pay a penalty for not having health insurance. In 2016 the fine for failing to have health insurance is $695 per person in the household, $347.50 per child, or 2.5% of your total household income, whichever is greater.

There are many great advantages of health insurance insurance, and money-saving opportunities to get covered.

Tagged Affordable Care Act, health insurance, healthcare plan, Obamacare

Steep escalation in medical care cost has constrained many to deprive themselves of quality healthcare. health insurance comprehensively protects us from the entire spectrum of diseases by making treatment affordable and also enabling us to gain tax benefits.

What is a health insurance?

health insurance or Mediclaim Policy is a type of insurance policy that covers the cost of your medical treatment and more. The scope of a health cover depends on the type of health insurance policy

you are choosing. In general a health insurance covers Hospitalization expenses incurred owing to sickness or accidents and also covers the following:

a) Pre-hospitalization expenses like medical tests, consultation fees etc prior to getting hospitalized

b) Ambulance cost

c) Costs pertaining to hospitalization like room, surgery, diagnosis and other charges

d) Recuperation charges or post-hospitalization charges after getting released from hospital like doctor visit, medicines etc H

health insurance benefits

Quality treatment, hospitalization and other healthcare facilities have become highly expensive. A single major ailment can drain away your entire life’s savings. health insurance policy reduces significantly the burden of expenditure and brings quality treatment within your reaches.

health insurance functioning

Medical health insurance policy customarily comes in annual mode and is required to be renewed each year. The policy document explicitly states Exclusions and waiting period. The insurance benefit

can be claimed in two ways.

Cashless: Health insurers enter into agreements with major hospitals to facilitate direct billing. They settle all admissible claims with the hospital either by their in-house Claim settlement administration or through Third Party Administrator (TPA). You are just required to produce the cashless card of the insurance company

at hospital’s clearance desk. The subsequent treatment proceeds in cashless manner for the Insured subject to insurer’s approval.

Reimbursement: Hospitals not falling under the ambit of insurance provider

’s Coverage require you to make the entire payment. You can then submit valid treatment papers along with the claim form to Insurer for the Reimbursement of admissible expenses. Important considerations while buying medical health insurance plan

• Consciously introspect about your health needs counting in the future exigencies and then opt for the plan closest to your requirements.
• health insurance policy

should be bought at younger age itself as people are finding it tough to get coverage after 45 years, when the body is more prone to contacting major ailments.

Family floater cuts down the Premium cost by extending coverage for entire family in a single cover

Always opt for larger coverage as healthcare Inflation is skyrocketing.

Unbiased advice from the health advisor should be sought and always compare health insurance policy online to make an informed decision regarding correct plan.

You should carefully go through the policy’s terms and conditions to remain comprehensively covered.

Only opt for lifetime renewal policies to prevent your plan from getting discontinued at later stage. A plan perfectly suiting your needs may not be available and any delay can Risk your coverage significantly.

You should never hide your medical background while filling the form to avail the coverage for Pre-existing diseases after a fixed waiting period.

Cashless mode will not come handy in emergencies as processing and approval takes about 5-6 hours

An informed and conscious decision on your part regarding purchasing the right health insurance plan will go a long way in ensuring optimum health.

If you have heart disease or stroke, health insurance can help. You’re more likely to get the care you need, have shorter hospital stays and get healthier compared to people without health insurance.

Heart disease and stroke can be very expensive; in fact they are leading causes of medical bankruptcy. health insurance can help you avoid being stuck with large medical bills.

If you have health insurance you can:

• Go to the doctor for preventive services and get the care that you need to stay healthy and prevent serious illnesses;
• Be treated sooner if you or one of your family member get sick or diagnosed with a heart condition; and
• Avoid having the condition worsen.

Understand Your Options

health insurance can be confusing and overwhelming. The good news is that there are several resources that can help you understand and compare health plans:

• Summary of Benefits and Coverage: If you have a private health plan, you should get a standardized, easy-to-understand form called the Summary of Benefits and Coverage. You can use it to help you compare different insurance options

. Ask your insurer for it if they don’t provide it.

To see a sample of this short form and learn more about how it can help you, Consumer Reports magazine has developed this helpful guide.
Glossary of
Why health insurance is Important
Getting hurt or sick isn’t something a person wants to happen, but unexpected medical events do occur. Having a health insurance plan helps pay for some of those unexpected costs, and provides financial protection against ongoing large medical bills. Here are some of the advantages of health insurance:

• With the passing of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, there is no longer a limit on how much your health insurance will pay
• . Before Obamacare was law, health insurance policies had a lifetime maximum of $1 million, $2 million, or sometimes $5 million dollars. Someone with ongoing cancer surgeries and treatment could hit that $1 million mark easily, and then be left without health insurance unless they enrolled in an expensive, high risk insurance program. Today those barriers are gone, and individuals who need health insurance to treat chronic illnesses are able to get the care they need without worrying about hitting a maximum amount on their healthcare plan.
• health insurance companies can no longer cancel an individual’s health policy because they have a chronic disease, or discriminate against individuals with a critical condition and charge them more for health insurance. There is equality for all under the Affordable Care Act.
• Anyone with a pre-existing condition can still buy health insurance, and should buy health insurance, to help combat conditions that need extra medical care, and provide some financial backing to help pay for doctor and hospital visits.
• insurance companies offer network services that cost far less that out-of-network physicians and hospitals, making healthcare more affordable for policyholders.
• Preventive services are now covered for free under the Affordable Care Act mandate. This is especially helpful for screenings, vaccines and checkups, and you don’t have to meet your deductible in order to get these services at no cost.
• Cost assistance is available to help lower the monthly expense of health insurance. Know as a tax credit or tax subsidy, federal money helps those that make between 100%-400% of the Federal Poverty Level. (For an individual that is between $11,770 – $47,080, depending on the state.) With cost assistance, individuals paid an average of less than $100 a month for a plan on the marketplace in 2015. That is a $268 savings each month.
• If you carry a qualified health insurance plan, you won’t have to pay a penalty for not having health insurance. In 2016 the fine for failing to have health insurance is $695 per person in the household, $347.50 per child, or 2.5% of your total household income, whichever is greater.
• There are many great advantages of health insurance insurance, and money-saving opportunities to get covered.

Tagged Affordable Care Act, health insurance, healthcare plan, Obamacare

Steep escalation in medical care cost has constrained many to deprive themselves of quality healthcare. health insurance comprehensively protects us from the entire spectrum of diseases by making treatment affordable and also enabling us to gain tax benefits.

What is a health insurance?
health insurance or Mediclaim Policy is a type of insurance policy that covers the cost of your medical treatment and more. The scope of a health cover depends on the type of health insurance policy you are choosing. In general a health insurance covers Hospitalization expenses incurred owing to sickness or accidents and also covers the following:

a) Pre-hospitalization expenses like medical tests, consultation fees etc prior to getting hospitalized

b) Ambulance cost

c) Costs pertaining to hospitalization like room, surgery, diagnosis and other charges

d) Recuperation charges or post-hospitalization charges after getting released from hospital like doctor visit, medicines etc H

ealth insurance benefits
Quality treatment, hospitalization and other healthcare facilities have become highly expensive. A single major ailment can drain away your entire life’s savings. health insurance policy reduces significantly the burden of expenditure and brings quality treatment within your reaches.

health insurance functioning
Medical health insurance policy customarily comes in annual mode and is required to be renewed each year. The policy document explicitly states Exclusions and waiting period. The insurance benefit can be claimed in two ways.

Cashless: Health insurers enter into agreements with major hospitals to facilitate direct billing. They settle all admissible claims with the hospital either by their in-house Claim settlement administration or through Third Party Administrator (TPA). You are just required to produce the cashless card of the insurance company at hospital’s clearance desk. The subsequent treatment proceeds in cashless manner for the Insured subject to insurer’s approval.

Reimbursement: Hospitals not falling under the ambit of insurance provider’s Coverage require you to make the entire payment. You can then submit valid treatment papers along with the claim form to Insurer for the Reimbursement of admissible expenses. Important considerations while buying medical health insurance plan

• Consciously introspect about your health needs counting in the future exigencies and then opt for the plan closest to your requirements.
• health insurance policy should be bought at younger age itself as people are finding it tough to get coverage after 45 years, when the body is more prone to contacting major ailments.
• Family floater cuts down the Premium cost by extending coverage for entire family in a single cover
• Always opt for larger coverage as healthcare Inflation is skyrocketing.
• Unbiased advice from the health advisor should be sought and always compare health insurance policy online to make an informed decision regarding correct plan.
• You should carefully go through the policy’s terms and conditions to remain comprehensively covered.
• Only opt for lifetime renewal policies to prevent your plan from getting discontinued at later stage. A plan perfectly suiting your needs may not be available and any delay can Risk your coverage significantly.
• You should never hide your medical background while filling the form to avail the coverage for Pre-existing diseases after a fixed waiting period.
• Cashless mode will not come handy in emergencies as processing and approval takes about 5-6 hours
• An informed and conscious decision on your part regarding purchasing the right health insurance plan will go a long way in ensuring optimum health.

If you have heart disease or stroke, health insurance can help. You’re more likely to get the care you need, have shorter hospital stays and get healthier compared to people without health insurance.

Heart disease and stroke can be very expensive; in fact they are leading causes of medical bankruptcy. health insurance can help you avoid being stuck with large medical bills.

If you have health insurance you can:

Go to the doctor for preventive services and get the care that you need to stay healthy and prevent serious illnesses;
Be treated sooner if you or one of your family member get sick or diagnosed with a heart condition; and
Avoid having the condition worsen.
Understand Your Options

health insurance can be confusing and overwhelming. The good news is that there are several resources that can help you understand and compare health plans:

Summary of Benefits and Coverage: If you have a private health plan, you should get a standardized, easy-to-understand form called the Summary of Benefits and Coverage. You can use it to help you compare different insurance options. Ask your insurer for it if they don’t provide it.

To see a sample of this short form and learn more about how it can help you, Consumer Reports magazine has developed this helpful guide.

Glossary of health insurance Terms: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed a glossary of common insurance terms, such as deductible, copayments and out-of-pocket limits.
Reading up about health insurance can take a little time, but it will pay off — for your heart health!

Paying for Health Care or health insurance

Starting October 1, new financial assistance called the health insurance Premium Tax Credit will be available to help make insurance premiums affordable for those who need coverage. The website Healthcare.gov will provide a single location where you find out whether you are eligible for the premium tax credit and shop for and compare the different health insurance plans available to you in your state. Check out Healthcare.gov if you would like to learn more about the new options available October 1 and what you need to do to get ready. Meanwhile, if you need coverage immediately and would like to search for and compare plans available now, go to finder.healthcare.gov to start your search.

Some hospitals, health centers and clinics provide medical care, prescription drugs, dental care, and other services regardless of your ability to pay. Anyone may use a community health center, whether you have health insurance or not. How much you pay will depend on your income. Find a community health center near you.

The Foundation for Health Coverage Education’s website, also includes state-by-state information on different coverage options or sources of financial assistance that may be available to you.

Benefits of health plans
Financial stability
Emergency medical expenses may result in severe financial distress. You may have to dip into your savings or sell your assets to meet such expenses. When you buy a health plan, you are assured of financial stability during an illness.

Best treatment
You may have to compromise on the treatment plan in case of a health condition due to lack of funds. With the best health insurance plan, you have the assurance of procuring the best treatment to overcome any health condition.

Choice of insurance plans
Different insurance companies offer various types of health policies. Opting for the best health insurance available in India may be confusing. HDFC ERGO has a variety of insurance plans. You may avail of a plan that specifically caters to your requirements.

Avail of health coverage so that you may take benefit of all the health insurance advantages because safeguarding yourself and your family against health problems is the best investment you will ever make.
Terms: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed a glossary of common insurance terms, such as deductible, copayments and out-of-pocket limits.
Reading up about health insurance can take a little time, but it will pay off — for your heart health!

Paying for Health Care or health insurance

Starting October 1, new financial assistance called the health insurance Premium Tax Credit will be available to help make insurance premiums affordable for those who need coverage. The website Healthcare.gov will provide a single location where you find out whether you are eligible for the premium tax credit and shop for and compare the different health insurance plans available to you in your state. Check out Healthcare.gov if you would like to learn more about the new options available October 1 and what you need to do to get ready. Meanwhile, if you need coverage immediately and would like to search for and compare plans available now, go to finder.healthcare.gov to start your search.

Some hospitals, health centers and clinics provide medical care, prescription drugs, dental care, and other services regardless of your ability to pay. Anyone may use a community health center, whether you have health insurance or not. How much you pay will depend on your income. Find a community health center near you.

The Foundation for Health Coverage Education’s website, also includes state-by-state information on different coverage options or sources of financial assistance that may be available to you.

Benefits Of Health Plans

Financial stability

Emergency medical expenses may result in severe financial distress. You may have to dip into your savings or sell your assets to meet such expenses. When you buy a health plan, you are assured of financial stability during an illness.

Best treatment

You may have to compromise on the treatment plan in case of a health condition due to lack of funds. With the best health insurance plan, you have the assurance of procuring the best treatment to overcome any health condition.

Choice of insurance plans

Different insurance companies offer various types of health policies. Opting for the best health insurance available in India may be confusing. HDFC ERGO has a variety of insurance plans. You may avail of a plan that specifically caters to your requirements.

Avail of health coverage so that you may take benefit of all the health insurance advantages because safeguarding yourself and your family against health problems is the best investment you will ever make.

Benefits Of Online College Through The Student

yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Online Degree Programs: How to Tell the Good From the Bad

Advances in technology over the past decade have propelled colleges and universities into the realm of online education, creating a crowded market for students considering an online degree.

But not all programs are a safe bet.

[Discover why online education may transform higher ed.]

Online colleges have been criticized for putting profits over students; some have even been the subject of lawsuits claiming misrepresentation or fraud. To avoid scams, students need to be savvy consumers and do their research before signing up for an online degree program, experts say.

Benefits Of Health Insurance Through The Marketplace

The University of Michigan offers a choice of health plans as part of a high-quality benefits package that helps you stay well and protect yourself and your family. Eligible employees and retirees can select from Comprehensive Major Medical, U-M Premier Care and Community Blue PPO. Another plan, GradCare, is offered for benefits-eligible graduate students only. Prescription drug coverage is included when you enroll in any U-M health plan.

Health Plan ID Cards

When you enroll in a U-M Health Plan, the health plan company will mail an ID card to your home address on file. You will also receive a separate ID card from MedImpact for prescription drug coverage. If you do not receive your ID card within 4-6 weeks after enrollment, call the health plan company directly to request a card. If you enrolled in a U-M health plan and need health care services before receiving your ID card, call the health plan company directly and ask about the reimbursement procedure. Until you receive your card, you may need to pay for services in full and then file for reimbursement from your health plan company. Be sure to save all receipts. Health plan phone numbers are included on the individual health plan pages on the UHR website, and on the Profiles page of the 2018 health plan coverage comparison chart.

Choosing a Plan

We want to help you find the health plan that offers the most advantages to you and your family, and then to use it wisely. Before choosing a plan, consider all the costs involved (including both premiums and out-of-pocket expenses like deductibles, coinsurance, and copays), access to doctors and hospitals, and your anticipated health and financial needs over the next year. Please note that there is no out-of-pocket cost to you for preventive care under any U-M health plan. View your health plan rates. For a detailed comparison, view the 2018 health plan coverage comparison chart.

To help you better understand your U-M health plan choices, view a two-minute video: A Quick Guide to Your U-M Health Plan Options. Note: This video is intended for faculty, staff and retirees who are eligible for the university's health plans. If you are a benefit-eligible graduate student, including Graduate Student Instructor (GSI), Graduate Student Staff Assistant (GSSA), Graduate Student Research Assistant (GSRA), benefit-eligible fellowship holder, or medical school student, please visit GradCare to learn about your university health plan option.

Health Plan Definitions

• Premium
• The premium is the amount that must be paid for your health plan. You pay a portion of the monthly health plan premium through automatic payroll deductions.
• Deductible
• Your deductible is the amount you owe for health care services before your health plan begins to pay. For example, if your deductible is $500, your plan won’t pay anything until you have paid $500 out-of-pocket for covered health care services subject to the deductible. The deductible may not apply to all services.
• Copay
• A copay is a fixed dollar amount (for example, $25) you pay for a covered health care service, such as an office visit, at the time you receive the service. The amount can vary by the type of service.
• Coinsurance
• Coinsurance refers to your share of the cost of a covered health care service, calculated as a percent of the allowed amount for the service (for example, 20%). You pay coinsurance in addition to any deductible you owe for your plan. The health plan pays the rest of the allowed amount.

View a glossary of commonly used health coverage and medical terms.

Pair Your Health Plan with a Flexible Spending Account

You may want to consider a pre-tax health care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to complement your health plan, particularly if you choose an option with higher out-of-pocket expenses.

Health Coverage while Traveling Abroad

Faculty and staff traveling on international university-related business are automatically covered at no cost by travel abroad health insurance. Learn more about your coverage during international business travel.

The benefits of health insurance through the Marketplace

No one plans to get sick or hurt, but most people need medical care – like a doctor visit, a prescription drug, a lab test, physical therapy, or counseling – at some point. These services can be expensive.

And if something happens that requires surgery or emergency medical care, it’s really important to have coverage. Fixing a broken leg can cost up to $7,500, and the average cost of a 3-day hospital stay is around $30,000.

The Health Insurance Marketplace offers a variety of high-quality health coverage choices for routine and non-routine medical services that can work for your family and budget.

Benefits even before you meet your deductible

• In the Marketplace, all plans cover some services – like preventive care and well-woman visits – for free.
• Some plans offer other health insurance benefits – like reduced price generic drugs and free disease management programs.
• If you get medical services from a provider in your plan’s network, you’ll pay lower prices than you would without insurance. That can save you hundreds of dollars per year.
• What Marketplace health plans cover

Benefits of health insurance:

The benefits of health insurance are listed below:

• Online buying facility

• Gone are the days when customers had no other option to buy insurance policies except through agents. Policies can now be easily bought online courtesy specialized insurance brokers who can make a comparative analysis (merits and demerits) of various products offered by different insurance companies for the benefit of customers who can choose the best health insurance plan most suitable to their requirements.

• Different premium payment scenarios

• Hitherto, the premium payments structures most health insurance policies in India were, by and large, the same. However, many companies such as Bharti AXA and Star Health among others have set up a ‘Zone based premiums’ for towns and metros. Consequently, health insurance policies are costlier in metros compared to towns given the higher medical expenses which may be incurred in the former.

• Coverage

• In the recent past, insurance companies are providing a wide range of products to cater to all kinds of requirements. For instance, many health insurance companies are increasingly offering family floater policies which provide cover to the entire family under a single umbrella. As a result, family members share the sum assured and can therefore, avail of the benefit in case of any untoward occurrence within the policy term.

• Renewal

• As opposed to traditional health insurance policies which had a fixed age limit, many current policies entail greater flexibility in terms of renewal in that customers can now renew their coverage at any time throughout their lives.

• No claim bonus

• In the recent past, insurance companies are increasingly offering their customers higher amounts of no claim bonus as a strategy to retain them. Some insurance providers are offering a ‘no claim bonus’ for up to 100 % of sum insured.

• OPD expenses

• While according to traditional health insurance products, customers have to be hospitalized for at least 24 hours to claim reimbursement, the current insurance providers provide cover for outpatient department (OPD) expenses as well. As a result, the insured do not necessarily have to be admitted into a hospital to avail of the benefits. As of now, Star Health and ICICI Complete health provide health insurance covering OPD expenses.

• Restoration

• In some health insurance policies, the sum insured is reinstated if the insured exhausts the coverage amount in a year. For instance, the restoration benefit can also be used in cases where an insured has to bear expenses for any medical condition which is different from the condition for which a claim was made.

• Maternity cover

• In this day and age, several health insurance providers are offering maternity cover as opposed to traditional insurance companies. Major companies such as Star Health and Max Bupa among others even provide cover for vaccination expenses of the new-born.

• Sub-limits

• Experts have asked customers to have a clear picture of sub-limits before signing up for a health insurance policy. Most traditional policies entail a sub-limit such as cap on doctors’ fees, boarding or room rents and other charges related to operation theatre, latest policies offered by insurance providers such as Tata AIG and Apollo Munich do not have such sub-limit clauses.

• Cashless hospitalization services

• Several leading insurance providers in the country have a network of hospitals which can offer cashless hospitalization services for the benefit of customers. Customers, therefore, do not have to unduly worry about immediate cash requirements in case of any emergencies. In several cases, the third party administrators pays the bill to the hospital or institute.

• Tax benefits

• Policyholders can avail of some tax benefits under section 80D (deduction for premium paid in addition to separate deduction for buying policies for parents who are senior citizens) and 80DD of the Income Tax Act 1961. In all, a policyholder can avail of tax benefit of up to Rs.55,000 under section 80D. The sum insured is not considered as ‘income’ and therefore, exempt from tax. However, several conditions have to be met to claim deduction as listed below:
• Policyholder should either be HUF or individual
• Payment of premium by any other means except in the cash mode
• Payment proof
• Portability
• Policyholders can now avail of a facility wherein they can switch their current insurance policy to another insurance provider seeking higher quality of services and benefits on offer.