Health Insurance

How to Find Inexpensive Health Insurance

Historically, Americans have had a surprisingly high number of uninsured people. This changed when “Obamacare,” the health insurance reform by the ACA (Affordable Care Act), came along to improve affordability and access to health insurance.

Nowadays, regardless of your limited financial capability or unemployment status, you have an excellent chance of finding a decent health insurance option for you, your families, and your employees. If you happen to be in a network like ours, you also stand to benefit from the advantages provided by various plans. You may receive lower rates and be exonerated from filling health insurance claims forms.

Independent insurance agents specialized in health insurance are usually excellent resources when evaluating health plans. In some cases, you can find more affordable options through independent agents than through your employer.

Instances Where You May Require Private Health Insurance

Certain circumstances may increase the need for purchasing a health insurance plan. Some of them include:

• Part-time employment
• Unemployment
• Self-employment
• Being a young adult of 26 years or older
• If either you, your parent, or your spouse retires
• Being a business owner with several employees
• If your existing insurer drops you

How Buying Health Insurance Works

For some Americans, getting health insurance means enrolling in group health insurance plans via their respective employers. Other healthcare coverage options for some Americans include Medicaid and Medicare.

Low-income Americans are eligible for Medicaid, a program for public assistance healthcare, regardless of their age. On the other hand, Medicare is a federal government health insurance plan that targets people 65 years or older, end-stage renal disease patients, and young people with certain disabilities.

Neither the federal nor state government allow people to buy private health insurance directly from them. If you and your family are not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare, and you cannot access an employer-sponsored health plan, then you can consider buying health insurance from The Health Insurance Marketplace or via private insurance companies.

Healthcare Costs

Healthcare costs are a significant factor that comes into play when buying health insurance. There are several options available to manage these costs. For instance, to reduce the amount payable as premiums, you can opt for a higher deductible. This implies that you will have to pay these deductibles when covering your medical bills and doctor’s visits before using your health insurance.

If you wish to avoid high out-of-pocket expenses when covering medical bills, you should opt to pay higher premiums. Nowadays, health insurance providers are responsible for preventive care visits, e.g., mammograms, routine physical examinations, and gynecological exams. Therefore, regardless of whether you have met your deductible or not, you will not have to pay for preventive care visits.

Co-pays and Coinsurance

Co-pays and coinsurance are popular cost-sharing methods among health insurance companies. Co-pays are small amounts people pay for doctor’s visits, while coinsurance is a larger amount people pay for when they may need additional care.

Under no circumstances should your doctor charge you co-pay for a preventive care visit. Always be aware of the coinsurance payments required by your health insurance plan because these costs can become unbearable during injury or serious illness.

You can compare quotes from different medical insurance providers and determine the best healthcare plan for your current and anticipated needs by consulting a local independent agent within our network.

Key Considerations for Choosing a Health Care Plan

Features usually vary from one health insurance plan to another. While finding a plan that consolidates all the attractive features you desire can be difficult, you should consider the most financially and medically essential features for your case. Below are some considerations you can make when researching healthcare plans.

• Does the plan cover the cost of prescription drugs? If so, does it cover generic prescription drugs only? What is the co-pay for both name-brand and generic drugs? Use any medicine you are taking as a reference point for this consideration.
• What is the co-pay for emergency room visits and specialized services like surgery, lab tests, and x-rays?
• Does the plan provide dental and vision coverage?
• What hospitals does the network include?
• Are there any discounted or free services for preventive care in the plan? While preventive care services are free in most ACA affiliated plans, short-term insurance plans may not provide free coverage for this.
• In case you may require out-of-network services, what is the cost? Is it affordable?
• Are there any specialty services provided in the plan, e.g., acupuncture, physical therapy, and chiropractic visits?

Health Insurance FAQ

Q: Can I buy good yet affordable health insurance?

A: By thoroughly searching for policies provided on the private market and policies provided in the state’s health insurance exchange, it is possible to find inexpensive health insurance plans with impressive benefits.

Q: Do health insurance plans provide long-term care?

A: Typically, health insurance plans cover medical care and regular healthcare, e.g., surgeries and hospital stays. The limitations and costs of these vary a lot from plan to plan.

Q: What is the impact of the Affordable Health Care Act on health insurance?

A: The Affordable Healthcare Act brought significant changes in the healthcare system. Among them was eliminating the predatory habits of some insurance companies through legislation. This change helped ensure everyone could access basic preventive care at costs that did not exceed their monthly premiums. If you wish to know more about this legislation’s effects on your health insurance, talk to one of our qualified agents.

Q: Is it possible to get free health insurance quotes?

A: Yes, you can get free health insurance quotes. The independent agents within our network provide free insurance quotes. They can also assess your needs if you wish. We recommend consulting independent agents when researching health insurance plans. This is because independent agents liaise with different health insurance providers. Hence, they are capable of comparing different options and policies for you. By comparing all the available options, an independent agent can find the best plan for your needs.