What Not to Do When Choosing Home Health Care

Home health care is usually referring to help for the elderly who are unable to care for themselves, but that isn’t always the case. Home health care can be professional nursing care, personal care services and/or companionship care. Signing up with a local service doesn’t have to be a chore, but you do keep a few things in mind:Don’t choose blindly – Do research on each and every care service you find. How long have they been providing care? Are they licensed or certified? Do they have a website where you can read other clients’ reviews? Are they qualified to give medical care? Will the agency provide you with employee references?Don’t go with the cheapest option – Money is tight for everyone, but that doesn’t mean you should skimp on your loved one’s care. Some services offer only minimal care and that may not be enough for your situation.Don’t go with the most expensive option – Just because a service is expensive, doesn’t mean that it would be best for you. If you family member is not in need of medical care, then it might not be necessary to sign up with a registered nurse. Also, a service may require you to use their services for more hours per week than you need.Don’t overlook anything – what type of care will you be needing? Help with daily chores? Rehabilitation therapy? Delivery of medication? A registered nurse? A respiratory therapist? Be sure that the services you seek are the same services that they provide.Don’t hesitate to ask – When selecting the best option for your loved one, be sure to not leave any questions unanswered. This is an important decision that you are making and one that requires a lot of thought. Some companies may appear at first glance to not be able to offer the services you need, but ask anyway. You might be pleasantly surprised. Be sure to ask what times of the day that services would be available and when they would begin.Don’t forget to read the fine print – How will you be paying for the home health care? Will it be paid by a third party such as Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Administration or even a health insurance company? If so, some third party payers will have specific requirements met before they will shell out the money to pay for the service. Be sure to check with your provider that they meet all of these requirements.Don’t forget the patient. Whether the patient is yourself, a friend or a loved one, be sure that they are comfortable with the arrangement you choose and the people who will be serving them. Home health care should quality care in the convenience and comfort of one’s home.

No-Fault Auto Insurance Explained

No-fault auto insurance is coverage which operates under the rule that no single driver was at fault in a car accident. Therefore no fault is determined in a car accident and each injured party will file a claim with their own respective auto insurance company for damages. For example, if Robert and Susan get in a car accident, Robert will file a claim with his insurance company and Susan wile file a claim with hers regardless of who was at fault – because there was no one at fault.There are two types of “no fault auto insurance”. The most common type is the pure form which limits liability and a person’s right to sue in a car accident with the exception of major injuries, extreme negligence and a small number of other reasons. Most car accidents which happen under no-fault car insurance coverage simply end up with a claim for damages and injury costs with no punitive or nuisance lawsuits.The other type of no-fault auto insurance is the “add-on” option available in some states. The advantage of adding a no fault car insurance option to your policy in these states is that you can file a claim with your car insurance company regardless of who was at fault. This insures the policyholder a quick claims handling process but because its just an “add-on”, and not a pure form of no fault insurance, there is no protection from frivolous litigation in a car accident. Most states only offer the pure form of no fault car insurance.Can I still be sued with No Fault Auto Insurance?Yes, “no-fault auto insurance” is not a diplomatic immunity like blanket of protection from all liability in a car accident. However certain financial thresholds must be met before the court will allow a lawsuit to proceed. Monetary damages are not the only reason you can be sued – In cases where a driver operated a vehicle with extreme negligence, people suffered extreme injuries and a variety of other reasons can still open you up to litigation. One of the most common reasons to be sued with no fault auto insurance is actually being underinsured as there is no law preventing someone from suing for damages which exceed your policy limits and you didn’t pay. However for most typical accidents you don’t have to worry about a car accident lawyer showing up at your door serving a lawsuit. If you only purchase the add-on type of no fault car insurance all bets are off and the ambulance chasing lawyers can sue you.What are the advantages of No Fault Auto Insurance?No-fault car insurance laws were created to help reduce the amount of nuisance lawsuits resulting from car accidents, save courts money from dealing with these suits, limit the liability of car insurance companies and create a quicker claims handling process for policyholders. In theory no fault car insurance provides a lot of protection however some states have reverted back to traditional tort law even after having no fault car insurance in place for years. There is a lot of debate about the effectiveness of no fault car insurance laws in the bigger picture but as a driver there are many advantages to living in a state with no fault auto insurance including a faster claims handling process and limiting exposure to frivolous lawsuits.What states have no fault auto insurance laws?Only about a dozen states have no-fault car insurance laws currently in place. Some states require all drivers to have no fault car insurance coverage whereas others provide drivers an option to choose between typical coverage and no fault coverage. The state where no fault auto insurance is in place includes:· Florida· Hawaii· Kansas· Kentucky· Massachusetts· Michigan· Minnesota· New Jersey· New York· North Dakota· Pennsylvania· UtahHow much car insurance required will depend on where you live but in addition to any required liability insurance you will also be required to purchase PIP insurance (personal injury protection) to cover any medical expenses of the policyholder in a car accident.How much is No Fault Auto Insurance?There are many reports which say no fault car insurance is cheaper and then there are others which say the cost of auto insurance is roughly the same compared to typical coverage. The problem lies with auto insurance being a relatively equal cost for most drivers that its hard to measure the difference.