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What is the best health insurance?
Let’s face it, health insurance is a confusing topic. Nobody seems to understand it, but yet many people see the value in having it.
What is the best health insurance to have and what features of a health insurance plan are most important? Very common questions to have, and as an insurance agent I come across these types of questions quite frequently.
When finding a quote for health insurance, whether it be for a group or just yourself as an individual, it’s always a good idea to make notes of key components to the plan. Be careful not to fall victim to the price scheme and only consider the monthly cost of the plan, because there are many other factors that could end up costing you a lot of money down the road if you aren’t on a good insurance plan.
So, let’s take a look at the top 5 most important things to consider when shopping for health insurance.
1. Deductibles
Deductibles seem like a scary word for those who don’t understand it, but what it really boils down to is what you need to pay to the insurance company before they will start chipping in for your health insurance expenses. Be careful not to choose a plan simply because it has a lower premium if the deductible is extremely high.
For exampleyou take out a policy with a low monthly premium, but the deductible is $8,000 a year, if for any the reason you get a doctor’s bill of anything less than that, you will be responsible for the entire bill, even though you’ve been paying monthly premiums to the insurance company already.
Health plans with low deductibles are much more desirable and will make for an insurance you can actually use, which is really why we get insurance in the first place right?
If you’re truly looking for an individual health insurance quote with low deductibles for catastrophic incidents and $0 deductibles for simple outpatients and routine visits (which is phenomenal!) Click Here for a quote and I will personally find you the best coverage for you and your family.
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2. Maximum Out of Pocket Expense
The out of pocket expense in a health insurance plan is another extremely important factor to consider when purchasing a health insurance plan. How to say max out of pocket expenses mean? It relates to what you, as the patient, will be responsible for paying overall in a given year.
If you purchase a plan that has a total out of pocket expense of $12,000, that means that no matter what happens or how much money in claims you end up taking out, you will be responsible for $12,000.
That seems like a lot of money right? Which is why it is important to consider a health insurance plan that has minimal out of pocket expenses in the event something catastrophic does happen and you end up having to make full use of that plan.
A really cool feature of this individual health plan, is that they are a living life insurance benefit and AD&D coverage built right into the plan which ends up covering a large portion of the deductible as well as contributing to the out of pocket expense. All of which are built directly into the plan and already included in the monthly premium.
Learn more about this plan here!
3. Network of Providers
Most people have heard the terms PPO and HMO but don’t actually know what they mean. It’s very important that while you are shopping around for health insurance, you choose the one that is going to benefit you the most, and in most cases that is going to be a PPO.
What is HMO Insurance?
HMO’s are very limited in terms of which providers you can and cannot see, and are also only good for local doctors and hospitals. If you end up traveling outside of your given network area, you will not be covered at all… which means your insurance is worthless.
You also need to understand that although you may find a hospital that is within your HMO network, some of the doctors, anesthesiologists’, gynecologists’ etc… may not be a part of your network and without you even knowing this information, they will provide you with care but then the bill will reflect it.
What is PPO Insurance?
PPO insurance on the other hand is insurance that can be used in any doctor or hospital regardless of whether they are in or out of network. Finding an insurance plan that has a nationwide PPO, is ideal since this is going to be your best bet when visiting any doctor or hospital.
PPO insurance is also great because you don’t need referrals to see a specialist. If you wake up one day with a skin lesion and you know it needs to be seen and treated by a dermatologist, rather than being required to spend the time and money to first see a primary care physician for the referral, you can go straight to the dermatologist of your choice.
GET A QUOTE HERE FOR THE BEST PPO HEALTH COVERAGE PLAN
4. Find a Plan that Fits Your Current Needs
Everyone’s needs are different, so one insurance plan isn’t going to be the right fit for everyone. Be sure you’re choosing a plan that can be customized to fit your specific needs and is going to work for you and your family.
The budget of course is a huge factor, you need to be able to afford your monthly premium in order to keep the plan in force, but you also need to be sure you aren’t paying for things you don’t necessarily want or need, or excluding things that are of value to you.
One example would be a plan which includes built in life insurance benefits. If you don’t currently have life insurance this might be a good option for you to include in your plan; however, if you already have a really nice life insurance policy that covers you completely you may want to opt out of this inclusion.
Another example would be if you are self employed, or have your own small business, workers compensation benefits might be important to consider. Plans with on the job protection are available in the individual private market and can sometimes be a life saver for the self insured. You can check out these plans with built in income protectors and workers compensation-like benefits HERE.
5. Find an agent you can trust
The market is saturated with insurance agents and brokers out there trying to gain your business but be careful you are only working with someone who truly cares and has your best interests at heart.
As a licensed agent, I find it most satisfying when I can help someone navigate this confusing thing called health insurance coverage and put them in the best position, regardless of whether it is a product that I have access to or not.
I work closely with experts in the health insurance field to ensure each client I represent is going to put on the best, most affordable plans and options that fit their specific needs. Saving people money for better, more comprehensive health coverage is what I do, so reach out for a free quote today or even if you just have questions about your current coverage and I’m here to help!