Need Health Insurance?
Shopping for health insurance can be over-whelming, but we're here to simplify it for you.
why it's important to have health insurance
Although no one plans on getting sick or injured, sometimes it's out of your control. It's important to have health insurance to limit the financial burden in your time of need. Here are some examples of what you could pay, if you did not have coverage (source: Blue Cross):
| Average cost of a 3-day stay in the hospital | $27,984 |
| Knee surgery and care | $48,302 |
| Burst appendix | $48,151 |
Because individual health plans are subject to underwriting and are not guaranteed issue, you may be denied coverage due to a "pre-existing condition." However, there may be other options available to you. If this is your case, take the time to view them and see if you'll qualify.
overview of insurance differences
There are two main types of insurance plans you have to choose from. Health maintenance organizations (HMO)s and preferred provider organizations (PPOs). HSA-Eligible Insurance is a type of PPO plan that meets certain criteria and has a high deductible.
HMO members must choose a primary care physician (PCP) from among the HMO member physicians. The primary care physician provides general medical care and must be consulted before you can see a specialist, who must also be part of the HMO. They typically provide no coverage for care received from non-network physicians. HMOs typically do not set deductibles that must be met before insurance benefits begin. Instead, HMO members often pay a small co-payment for care.
PPO members do not choose a primary care physician and can refer themselves to specialists. They are not required to stay within the PPO network, but there is usually a strong financial incentive to do so. For example, the PPO may reimburse 90 percent of costs for care received within the network, but only 70 percent of costs for non-network care. PPOs sometimes require members to meet a deductible (especially for hospitalization) and may have larger co-payments than HMOs.
HSA-Eligible plans typically have higher deductibles than other PPO plans that must be met before the insurance carrier will pay anything. Many HSA plans make exceptions for preventative care, meaning you will not have to pay anything for your annual physical exam, annual OB-GYN exam, and well baby care. As with regular PPO plans, once your annual out-of-pocket maximum is met, the insurance carrier covers all of your qualified medical services at 100%, meaning you don't have to pay anymore.
For more, see our illustrative overview comparison of HMOs, PPOs, and HSAs.
getting started
Now that you have a basic understanding of the differences with health insurance plans, we'd recommend you check out our tips for selecting insurance. Next, we'd suggest you use our HSA Living Insurance Quotes tool to compare all types of plans.
If you see a plan you like, you may simply click on the "Apply for this plan" link and do so from the convenience of your own computer. If you have questions or would like help going through the application process, feel free to send us an e-mail, chat on-line or give us a call.
If you already have a health insurance carrier you prefer and would like to apply with them, click here.
To see if your doctor is in a specific carrier's network, click here.
If you would like to see quotes and apply for dental insurance, click here.
If you would like to see quotes and apply for Medicare, click here.
If you would like to see quotes and apply for term life insurance, click here.
