As it is commonly known that the health insurance pays for the medical expenses. Now the question is what kind of medical expenses does a health insurance cover? To give an answer to this question we must study about the evolution of the health insurance from the very beginning. However, these days the term health insurance is used in a much broader concept as it was earlier. Now sometimes the health insurance also covers disability costs and also long-term nursing and custodial care is it may be needed. The fact is that these health insurance policies are both provided through a government-sponsored social insurance program as well as private insurance companies. No matter who may provide them the beneficiaries need to pay premiums or taxes, and in return the health care policies help protect themselves against the high and unexpected health care costs. However, the health care medical expenses may also be provided through the social welfare programs founded by the government.
Let us now have a look at the history of the health insurance plans. It was Hugh the Elder Chamberlen from the Peter Chamberlen family, who was the first one to propose about the health care insurance plans in 1694. And perhaps the accidental insurance was the first among the health insurance policies first launched during the late 19th century. This was something like the modern disability insurance. This type of policies continued till the start of the 20th century. The accidental insurance was first launched in the United States by the Franklin Health insurance Company of Massachusetts, which was founded in 1850. They offered insurance against the injuries from accidents caused by railroads and steamboats. Soon after, by the year 1966, about sixty companies were found to be offering accidental insurance in the United States. However, the main drawback was that other than the accidental insurance the Medicare beneficiaries were to pay for all other medical costs. Later during the late 20th century begins the start of the modern health insurance programs. And gradually it evolved and the present day Medicare policies covers a lot more things like preventives, emergency health care procedures, prescription drugs and others.
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