Insurance in Charleston
Data source: US Census year 2000
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Uninsured in Berkeley County
Charleston is in Berkeley County.
Two out of ten people in Berkeley County (15.1%) lack health insurance. In the state of South Carolina, 14.7% are without.
Among the population under 18 years in Berkeley County, 12.4% are uninsured, while the figure for South Carolina is 12.1%.
in 2005, 85% of Americans had some medical expense, spending on average $1,166.
Crime and Safety in Charleston
Cities are generally less safe to live in than small towns. Violent crime in Charleston is 109.8% higher per capita, than in the U.S. as a whole. The per-capita rate of property crime in Charleston is 35.2% higher than nationally.
There are 455 people living in restricted group quarters such as correctional facilities, nursing homes, and mental hospitals in Charleston (0% of the population).
Accidents
Commuting to work is a fact of life for most Americans. In 2000, 85% of Charleston residents drove to work, and 4% used public transport. 7% walked to work, and 1% rode a bicycle. While keeping active is vital for good health, unprotected forms of transportation also puts you at greater risk in traffic.
In the United States, 10% or Emergency Room visits in 2005 was due to traffic accidents. The most common injury was due to falls, totalling 21% of ER visits.
Charleston, South Carolina Health Insurance
With a health insurance plan, your medical costs will be reduced, and a plan that includes regular checkups lowers your likelihood of developing serious health problems. As an added bonus, doctors charge people with health insurance less, since insurance companies negotiate discounts.
Getting an individual health insurance plan doesn't have to be expensive and complicated. With average premiums for single coverage reaching $373 per month ($4,479 annually) in 2007, and familty premiums soaring to $1,009 per month ($12,106 annually), the incentive to find cheap alternatives is higher than ever. Yougotinsured.com is dedicated to help you find ways to save, while retaining the security of a high coverage level.Yougotinsured.com is dedicated to help you find ways to save, while retaining the security of a high coverage level.
One way to pay smaller premiums is to sign up for a high-deductible health plan (HDHP), an alternative gaining popularity among employers who offer health benefits.
While most Americans have health insurance coverage through their employer, there are trends in the opposite direction. As the economy transforms, and employers rely more on part-time and contract labor, fewer employees are eligible for health benefits. Among firms who offer health benefits, 79% of workers were eligible in 2007. Among both firms that offer and don't offer health benefits, a total of only 59% of workers were actually covered by their employer.
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Local Health Insurance Agents in Charleston, South Carolina
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Affordable Insurance
(843) 414-2123
Charleston, South Carolina 29401 -
Alliance For Affordable Healthcare
(843) 414-21251470 Tobias Gadson Blvd Ste 110
Charleston, South Carolina 29407-4835 -
Anderson Andy Insurance
(843) 769-53221595 Savannah Hwy
Charleston, South Carolina 29407-7860 -
Baxter Robert E III Clu
(843) 571-4301925 Wappoo Rd Ste A
Charleston, South Carolina 29401-5969 -
Benefit Concepts Inc
(843) 763-77181334 Ashley River Rd
Charleston, South Carolina 29407-5347 -
Bill Frehse Ins Agcy Inc - State Farm Insurance Agent
(843) 762-2005515 Folly Road
Charleston, South Carolina 29412-3008 -
Bluecross Blueshield of South Carolina
(843) 763-77181334 Ashley River Rd
Charleston, South Carolina 29407-5347 -
Bluecross Blueshield of South Carolina
(843) 571-61551529 Sam Rittenberg Blvd
Charleston, South Carolina 29407-4194 -
David M Gilston Insurance Agency
(843) 769-2969
Charleston, South Carolina 29401 -
Financial Planning Association
(843) 577-51307 Logan St
Charleston, South Carolina 29401-2464 -
Fletcher Carrie C Ins
(843) 763-77181334 Ashley River Rd
Charleston, South Carolina 29407-5347 -
Full Gospel Businessmens Fellowship International
(843) 571-61551529 Sam Rittenberg Blvd
Charleston, South Carolina 29407-4194 -
Green Carol A Ins
(843) 763-77181334 Ashley River Rd
Charleston, South Carolina 29407-5347 -
Healthinvest Llc
(843) 763-1929
Charleston, South Carolina 29401 -
Iriart, Richard Dee - State Farm Insurance Agent
(843) 856-8660130 River Landing Drive
Charleston, South Carolina 29492-7400 -
Mary Joseph Ins Agcy Inc - State Farm Insurance Agent
(843) 766-11611975-U Magwood Drive
Charleston, South Carolina 29414-5725 -
McQueeney, W Thomas - State Farm Insurance Agent
(843) 723-5555342 East Bay Street
Charleston, South Carolina 29401-1591 -
Nase
(843) 722-6273215 E Bay St
Charleston, South Carolina 29401-2633 -
Nationwide Insurance
(843) 795-0189Po Box 13868
Charleston, South Carolina 29422-3868 -
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co Agents
(843) 795-0189Po Box 13868
Charleston, South Carolina 29422-3868 -
R E Baxter and Associates Inc
(843) 571-4301
Charleston, South Carolina 29401 -
Rollins L Greg Cpcu
(843) 762-1805147 Wappoo Creek Dr Ste 502
Charleston, South Carolina 29412-2123 -
Security Life & Trust Co
(843) 571-4301
Charleston, South Carolina 29401 -
Taylor W Lee Jr Cpcu
(843) 762-1805147 Wappoo Creek Dr Ste 502
Charleston, South Carolina 29412-2123 -
Welborne Insurance
(843) 762-9799800 Affirmation Boulevard
Charleston, South Carolina 29412-4956 -
Wilbur W C And Co Of North Charleston
(843) 744-16621072 E Montague Av
Charleston, South Carolina 29405-4822
Glossary of Terms
- Coinsurance
- amount you have to pay for medical care in a fee-for-service plan after you have reached the deductible. The coinsurance rate is usually written as a percentage. For example, if the insurance company pays 80 percent of the claim, you pay 20 percent.
- Coordination of Benefits
- A system to eliminate duplication of benefits when you are covered under more than one group plan. Benefits under the two plans usually are limited to no more than 100 percent of the claim.
- Copayment
- Another way of sharing medical costs. You pay a flat fee every time you receive a medical service (for example, $5 for every visit to the doctor). The insurance company pays the rest.
- Covered Expenses
- Most insurance plans, whether they are fee-for-service, HMOs, or PPOs, do not pay for all services. Some may not pay for prescription drugs. Others may not pay for mental health care. Covered services are those medical procedures the insurer agrees to pay for. They are listed in the policy.
- Customary fee
- Most insurance plans will pay only what they call a reasonable and customary fee for a particular service. If your doctor charges $1,000 for a hernia repair while most doctors in your area charge only $600, you will be billed for the $400 difference.
- Deductible
- The amount of money you must pay each year to cover your medical care expenses before your insurance policy starts paying.
- Exclusions
- Specific conditions or circumstances for which the policy will not provide benefits.
- Fee-for-Service
- The insurer only pays for part of your doctor and hospital bills. This is the traditional kind of health care policy. Insurance companies pay fees for the services provided to the insured people covered by the policy. This type of health insurance offers the most choices of doctors and hospitals.
- HDHP
- High-Deductible Health Plan. With this type of plan, you pay a smaller premium, but have to pay a larger amount out of your own pocket when you use medical services.
- HMO
- (Health Maintenance Organization): Prepaid health plans. You pay a monthly premium and the HMO covers your doctors’ visits, hospital stays, emergency care, surgery, checkups, lab tests, x-rays, and therapy. You must use the doctors and hospitals designated by the HMO.
- Institutionalized
- People under formally authorized, supervised care or custody in institutions (for example, correctional facilities, nursing homes, and mental hospitals). Generally, restricted to the institution, under the care or supervision of trained staff, and classified as "patients" or "inmates."
- Kaiser
- Figure refers to employer-based health insurance. Individual plans may be more expensive. ("Employer Health Benefits 2007 Annual Survey" (#7672), The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation & HRET, September 2007)
- Managed Care
- Ways to manage costs, use, and quality of the health care system. All HMOs and PPOs, and many fee-for-service plans, have managed care.
- Maximum Out-of-Pocket
- The most money you will be required pay a year for deductibles and coinsurance. It is a stated dollar amount set by the insurance company, in addition to regular premiums.
- Noncancelable Policy
- A policy that guarantees you can receive insurance, as long as you pay the premium. It is also called a guaranteed renewable policy.
- PPO
- (Preferred Provider Organization): A combination of traditional fee-for-service and an HMO. When you use the doctors and hospitals that are part of the PPO, you can have a larger part of your medical bills covered. You can use other doctors, but at a higher cost.
- Preexisting Condition
- A health problem that existed before the date your insurance became effective.
- Premium
- The amount you or your employer pays in exchange for insurance coverage.
- Primary Care Doctor
- Usually your first contact for health care. This is often a family physician or internist, but some women use their gynecologist. A primary care doctor monitors your health and diagnoses and treats minor health problems, and refers you to specialists if another level of care is needed.
- Property crime
- Property crime includes burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The objective of the theft crimes is the unlawful taking of money or property, and does not include use or threat of force against the victims.
- Provider
- Any person (doctor, nurse, dentist) or institution (hospital or clinic) that provides medical care.
- Race
- Race is a self-identification data item in which respondents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify. [US Census]
- Single Coverage
- Health insurance that covers medical expenses for one person.
- Third-Party Payer
- Any payer for health care services other than you. This can be an insurance company, an HMO, a PPO, or the Federal Government.
- Violent crime
- Violent crime includes four offenses: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Violent crimes involve force or threat of force.
Charleston Facts
Data source: US Census year 2000
Population
Population in Charleston is 96,650.
63% of Charleston residents are White, 34% are African-American, 1% are a mix of two or more races, 1% are Asian, and 1% are of some other race.
Economy
The median income in Charleston is $31,643 for men, and $21,328 for women.
Compared to the typical person in the state of South Carolina, a resident of Charleston makes 9.1% more. The trend for South Carolina is that the median income is increasing. (2006)
7,468 people (8% of the population) were living on an income below the poverty level as of 2006. The poverty in Charleston was decreasing compared to the year before.
The typical home is worth $249,300. 31% of Charleston homeowners own their home outright, paying typically $485 per month in owner costs. Among those with a mortgage (69% of homeowners), the median monthly owner cost is $1,443. (2006)
Housing
There are a total of 52,795 homes in Charleston. Of these, 2,089 were for sale, and 1,741 homes were available to rent in 2006. 24,751 (55%) were owner-occupied, and 20,380 (45%) were occupied by renters. (2006)
Age
The median age for men in Charleston is 32, and in South Carolina the average man lives to be 72. The median age for women in Charleston is 35, and women in South Carolina live to be 78, on average. (2006)
Education
The education level in Charleston is high compared to the national average.
Among men over 25, 58% has a college degree, and 14% has some college. Out of the men that didn't study in college, 67% graduated from High School, and 33% dropped out.
Among women over 25, 47% has a college degree, and 19% has some college. Out of the women that didn't study in college, 75% graduated from High School, and 25% dropped out. (2006)
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