Posted by Dan on Aug 6, 2009 in
Lucky Hit They know who you are, whether you smoke and how fast you drive. If you’re applying for medical insurance, you need to know what the MIB knows.
What does medical insurance have in common with the CIA, Freemasons and the Skull and Bones society? Your eligibility for affordable medical insurance or major medical insurance plans just may be shrouded in the mysterious folds of an organization the general public knows little about. There are no secret handshakes or enigmatic symbols, but it does have a coding system known only by its employees and members.
What is this ominous-sounding organization? It’s the MIB Group, formerly known as the Medical Information Bureau, and it provides information to insurance companies that can make or break a consumer’s medical insurance application. Though the MIB has been in existence since 1902, most consumers have not heard of it.
The MIB is described as a “membership corporation,” and is owned by approximately 470 insurance companies who make up the MIB’s membership. The MIB’s stated mission is to detect and deter fraud that may occur during the course of a person obtaining medical insurance, life insurance, disability income and other types of healthcare insurance. It protects insurance companies from being defrauded by an applicant who knowingly or unknowingly omits critical information or lies.
The MIB is a lot like a credit reporting agency. It provides information to insurance companies to help them decide whether or not to provide medical insurance to an applicant. The information also helps the insurance company determine the patient’s premiums.
Not everyone has a report on file with the MIB. If you have not applied for medical insurance or an individual life insurance policy within the last 7 years, then you do not have an MIB report. According to figures reported by the MIB, the organization collects information on around 15% to 20% of people who have applied for either medical insurance or life insurance policies.
The MIB’s similarity to credit reporting agencies isn’t a superficial one. The U.S. government classifies the MIB as a consumer reporting agency, which means it must comply with both the US Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act. That means consumers have the right to a copy of the information reported by the MIB to insurance companies. In fact, you have access to one free MIB report each year.
Some of the information collected and reported by the MIB includes:
- Medical conditions
- Medical test results
- Negative habits such as drugs, alcohol abuse, smoking and overeating
- Hazardous occupations and/or hobbies
- Poor driving history
Information collected about the MIB stays in a consumer’s files for seven years. Also, a consumer’s record will indicate which, if any, members have requested their information within the previous 12 months.
Because this information can affect a person’s ability to obtain medical insurance, consumers are encouraged to check with the MIB and to request their report if one exists. That way the consumer can check the report for accuracy and will be aware of any issues which may negatively impact their ability to qualify for medical insurance. Consumers have the ability to dispute any of the information on their report through the MIB’s dispute process.
To request your file, phone the MIB by calling their toll-free number: 866-692-6901. You will be asked to provide certain personal identifying information, and only you can request your file. A consumer’s guide to the MIB is available on the group’s website at mib.com.
Posted by Dan on Aug 6, 2009 in
Lucky Hit I was all set to go shopping and ready to buy a widescreen laptop
The moment I realized I certainly did not know the first thing involved with purchasing a mobile computer. I hit up my high school friend Evan Larson who is my favorite electronics guru for tips. I got great help and I am going to pass it on to you in hopes it will help you.
The initial buying advice was to avoid the temptation to buy a laptop at an appliance location. although you may believe you need the advice of an electronics store associate but you actually don’t. As a matter of fact the guys they have serving you at those shops know virtually nothing about laptops. You would be better off with no mobile computer assistance. Your best decision is to purchase a mobile computer online. You almost always get the best deal and the best selection with online mobile computer purchases.
Following that I was advised to decide if I cared about the weight and dimensions of my mobile computing device. If it is just being left at your house and not going back and forth with you there is no reason to shell out the additional dough to purchase a light weight laptop. A heavier and larger laptop might work for you. If it is just being left at home will suffice you will get much more computing power for your cash. A beefy and powerful laptop computer is usually labeled a desktop replacement.
Alternatively, if you expect to do frequent traveling with the laptop weight and size is a vital thing to consider. You don’t burdened by dragging around pounds of power hungry laptop computer all places you travel. There are lots of thin and easy on the back notebook computers for sale in a wide range of prices. You only have to pick the model and the color you need as well as how much precessing power you desire in the mobile computer.
Posted by Dan on Aug 6, 2009 in
Lucky Hit Air Pollution
Air pollution is a very serious issue all over the world. It is worse in some areas than others but it still has long term effects that are widespread. Industrialization resulted in a significant increase in air pollution. This is due to the amount of chemicals being released back into the environment. Too many people feel this is simply a trade off that has to be made if we want to continue advancing as a society because we rely on those industries for goods and services.
This informative article puts the dangers of air pollution in perspective.
The biggest promoter of air pollution comes for the vehicles we drive every day. Most of us drive a car to and from work and then to get to our other activities throughout the day as well. You may think there is no way to cut down on air pollution due to the need for your vehicle. Yet there are plenty of times when you can carpool or take public transportation instead of driving your own vehicles.
At the same time manufacturers are working hard to lower the amount of air pollution that is released from vehicles. Many areas of emissions laws and if you vehicle doesn’t pass you aren’t allowed to drive it until it does. These types of laws are mainly in the large cities where air pollution is extremely high.
Some individuals have to relocate from areas that suffer from a high volume of air pollution. They have respiratory problems as a result of it that make it difficult to function on a daily basis. They amount of carbon dioxide that ends up on the air is also responsible for global warming. That is an issue as it depletes the ozone layer. Many scientists believe air pollution has lead to the shift of normal weather patterns as well.
You may live in an area where it has become increasingly dry and hot. This can lead to drought issues to deal with. There have been plenty of huge disasters due to hurricanes, tornadoes, and other types of problematic weather. The changes in the environment due to air pollution can be partly to blame for all of this taking place. It is the responsibility of everyone to do all they can to reduce the amount of air pollution out there.
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