skeptical of such plans. At one insurance-company meeting last year, a roomful of agents burst into laughter when an executive described a Limited Benefit plan. But plan dThese days, everyone is looking for ways to save money. Some have found that buying cheap health insurance is one way to go. And while this has its upside, you should be careful, because you may end up with a health crisis.

For many folks in Dallas, Houston or throughout Texas with no health insurance, a policy known as "Limited Benefit" sounds like an appealing choice. Premiums are as low as $10 a week. But there's a big catch: these policies pay as little as $1,000 a year or $10,000 for a lifetime – so little that some health insurance experts question whether they really amounts to health insurance at all.

Even insurance industry executives and agents are highly skeptical of such plans. At one insurance-company meeting last year, a roomful of agents burst into laughter when an executive described a Limited Benefit plan. But plan de

areful, because you may end up with a health crisis.

For many folks in Dallas, Houston or throughout Texas with no health insurance, a policy known as "Limited Benefit" sounds like an appealing choice. Premiums are as low as $10 a week. But there's a big catch: these policies pay as little as $1,000 a year or $10,000 for a lifetime – so little that some health insurance experts question whether they really amounts to health insurance at all.

Even insurance industry executives and agents are highly skeptical of such plans. At one insurance-company meeting last year, a roomful of agents burst into laughter when an executive described a Limited Benefit plan. But plan d

t" sounds like an appealing choice. Premiums are as low as $10 a week. But there's a big catch: these policies pay as little as $1,000 a year or $10,000 for a lifetime – so little that some health insurance experts question whether they really amounts to health insurance at all.

Even insurance industry executives and agents are highly skeptical of such plans. At one insurance-company meeting last year, a roomful of agents burst into laughter when an executive described a Limited Benefit plan. But plan d

o little that some health insurance experts question whether they really amounts to health insurance at all.

Even insurance industry executives and agents are highly skeptical of such plans. At one insurance-company meeting last year, a roomful of agents burst into laughter when an executive described a Limited Benefit plan. But plan d

skeptical of such plans. At one insurance-company meeting last year, a roomful of agents burst into laughter when an executive described a Limited Benefit plan. But plan defenders say the simple act of giving low-income workers an insurance card can encourage them to seek routine preventive care. They contend that some measure of health coverage, however small, is better than none.

Currently, Limited Benefit policies are among the fastest-growing health insurance offerings for temporary and hourly workers. Sold by half a dozen insurance companies, they cover an estimated 750,000 employees and family members. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., McDonald's Corp. and Lowe's Cos. are among major companies making them available to their employees. For the nearly 47 million uninsured people in the United States today, having Limited Benefit health insurance wo