Guide For Buying Health Insurance
There are many different types of California health insurance plans in the marketplace. Before you decide on which plan is right for you, here are some helpful tips to save you some money.
Top Ten Things To Look For Before You Buy Health Insurance
1) Know What Benefits Are Important For Your Family
Depending on your health history, some plans might make more sense than others. Once you run the health insurance quotes, you can filter the search results by price range, deductible range, PPO or HMO, and health insurance carrier. If prescription drugs are important, especially brand coverage, than make sure you pick the right plan that covers that adequately. If you need maternity coverage, make sure that is covered as well.
2) Comparison Shop
Make sure you look at each health insurance carrier and compare their plans. Each carrier offers many plans and that might start to confuse you. When you use our quoting system, we make it easy to drill down to the health insurance plan that makes sense for you.
3) Know Your Rights
Did you know that in California you have a ten-day free look period? Some states regulate insurance in different ways, make sure you know what you are entitled to in your state.
4) Pick The Right Deductible
The deductible is the amount you have to pay first before the insurance carrier will start to pay for medical services. This is generally outside of drugs and office co-pays. Usually, the higher the deductible, the lower the monthly cost for the health insurance.
5) Know Your Out-of-Pocket Maximum
This is a very important figure to know. Each plan has a maximum amount you will be responsible for each calendar year. These maximums protect you against catastrophic events that may cost in the millions of dollars. Make sure you look at this figure and access your health history at the same time.
6) What Type Of Plan To Pick
Should I pick HMO or PPO? Do I need a HSA plan? Most individuals plans are offered on a PPO basis, which means you can self-refer for your medical services. Also, PPO plans are usually less expensive than HMO plans. HSA plans are good for those who are healthy and have a consistent medical history where they know what to expect from a medical cost perspective.
7) Who Needs The Coverage
Health insurance carriers also offer plans for families or children only. If you need family coverage, then your monthly cost will definitely be higher. Make sure to check the family out-of-pocket maximum and also the family deductible as these will also be very important. If you need coverage for your child because you are already covered, carriers offer child-only plans that can save you some money.
8) Office Co-Pays
Each health insurance plan has different benefits when it comes to office co-pays. For instance, some plans offer a percentage of coverage when you visit the doctor. These health insurance plans can be expensive if you visit the doctor a lot. Other plans have a certain allowable amount of visits per year at a certain rate, and then you have to pay a higher negotiated rate moving forward. If you visit the doctor frequently each year, make sure you choose a health insurance plan that offers good office visit benefits.
9) Emergency Room and Hospital Coverage
This is the most expensive part of medical costs. Visiting the ER and staying in the hospital can run up the medical bill very fast. Make sure to look at these benefits very closely because that will affect your pocket book.
10) Read The Fine Print
If you do not understand a part of the health insurance plan, make sure you read the full benefit details to learn about all the coverage and cost details.
To start researching the right plan for you, please click here.
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