What Is Health Insurance?
Health Insurance is a way to finance your medical expenses. It is essential to protect yourself against the financial crisis caused by a major illness.
When looking for a plan, start by reviewing total costs. That includes premiums, deductibles and coinsurance.
Look at what services each plan covers, too. For example, HMOs restrict which providers you can see, while PPOs offer more flexibility.
1. Coverage
The scope of coverage provided by health insurance is a key factor in buying this type of insurance. Whether it’s an indemnity plan, managed care plan, or consumer-driven health plan, you want to make sure that your policy covers the things that are important to you.
With managed care plans, like HMOs, EPOs, and POS plans, the insurer sets the fees for most services or gives you a list of providers in your network from which you can receive care. This allows the health insurance company to control costs by requiring you to use providers that have agreed to pre-negotiated fee schedules. These types of plans also often require you to choose a primary care physician who oversees your care and provides referrals for specialists.
These types of plans may also have a deductible that you must pay before the insurance company begins paying for covered services. The amount of the deductible can vary widely between plans and sometimes even within the same plan. Some health insurance plans also have copays, which are flat fees you must pay for certain covered services, such as doctor visits or prescription drugs.
Other types of health insurance include individual and family floater policies, senior citizen and maternity insurance, and group medical insurance. You can also find short-term health insurance, which is usually available for a limited period of time.
2. Premium
Having a clear understanding of the types and amounts of costs you will face is an important part of making smart health insurance choices. Some costs are very obvious, like your monthly premium that pays to keep the policy active. Others are less visible, like deductibles and copayments, which can quickly add up.
A deductible is the amount that policy-holders must pay out-of-pocket before the health insurance begins to pay for care. It may take many doctor’s visits or prescription refills before you reach your deductible. Some plans also have flat fees, called copays, that you pay when you use services, such as $20 for a visit to the doctor or 30% of hospital charges.
Health insurance companies set their premiums based on a variety of factors, including where you live (for example, rates are generally higher in Miami-Dade County than in Jackson County in Florida), your age, whether you smoke and the number of people covered by the policy. Premiums are used to pay for claims and administrative expenses, as well as to earn a profit.
The more benefits that are included in a plan, the more expensive it will usually be. However, you should weigh the cost of a higher out-of-pocket maximum against lower monthly payments, which can often save you money in the long run.
3. Benefits
Having health insurance can help protect you and your family from the financial burden of medical expenses. In addition to the money saved by not having to pay out of pocket for medical costs, health insurance typically provides benefits like free preventive care and discounted co-pays and deductibles on routine visits. Some plans may also provide coverage for out-of-network care, but those visits are likely to be more expensive than in network.
The most common way people get health insurance in the United States is through their employer. Most employers offer a plan that meets the needs and budget of most employees. However, some individuals may choose to purchase their own individual policy. Individual policies are usually more expensive than those offered through employers, but there are a few exceptions.
There are many different types of health insurance plans available in the U.S. Each type has different rules and arrangements for providing benefits. For example, Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans are the most flexible, but they’re also more expensive. Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans are cheaper but have more restrictions. In general, HMOs require a referral from your primary care doctor before you see a specialist.
In terms of the specific benefits, most insurance companies have negotiated discounts with certain doctors and facilities. These are called in network, and most insurance plans will reimburse you based on these rates. As part of the healthcare reform, most insurance plans are required to cover a minimum set of benefits, known as Essential Health Benefits (EHB).
4. Requirements
Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare, it is mandatory for everyone to have health insurance. This coverage must meet ACA’s standards for Minimum Essential Coverage, or you will be subject to a penalty on your federal tax return. Additionally, insurance companies are not allowed to deny or discriminate against people with preexisting conditions. eHealth makes it easy for individuals and families to find affordable healthcare plans that meet the requirements in their state.
Most people who have health insurance get it through their employer. They pay a premium, and in exchange, receive an insurance card that gives them access to doctors and hospitals that are part of the plan’s network. Many of these plans also have lower rates for services received at in-network providers. These are called managed care plans.
Depending on the size of your business, you may be required to offer health insurance to your employees. In addition, you must provide your employees with a Summary of Material Modifications when making significant changes to the coverage your company offers.
The ACA requires employers with two or more full-time equivalent employees to offer medical coverage or pay a penalty. Likewise, most schools require students to have health insurance or go through a waiver process in order to attend class. This requirement is largely due to the fact that healthcare services are quite expensive, and the cost of going without health insurance can be even more costly.assurance santé