Get Health Insurance: 4 Useful Tips to Help You Choose a Plan

Trying to figure out health insurance on your own?

You’ve got a lot of options to choose from to get health insurance coverage. And that’s a good thing.

But with so many choices and a mix of health insurance plans with different levels of coverage to choose from, it can be a little overwhelming trying to figure out how to:

• Compare plans
• Evaluate premiums
• Understand what a plan covers
• And more

Want a little help with choosing a health insurance plan?

These FOUR useful tips will help you pick a plan and get the coverage you need.

Health Insurance Tip #1: Compare plans in your area

There can be many different health insurance plans to choose from. These plans can have different:

• Premiums
• Benefits
• Provider networks
• Copays
• Waiting periods for certain services
• And more

Choosing a plan recommended by your friend or family may not be right for your situation.

To get a plan at the best possible price and with the coverage you seek, it’s essential to shop around and compare the options out there.¹

A good place to start: review the Summary of Benefits 

Make sure to review a Summary of Benefits or plan-detail documents. These are organized in a way that can help you do side by side comparisons.

Health Insurance Tip #2: Choose a plan based on premiums AND other costs

With something as complicated as health insurance, it’s easy to choose a plan simply based on the most visible cost: the monthly premium.

That may work—sometimes. But choosing a plan based on only premiums can be a costly health insurance mistake.

The cost of health care goes way beyond the premiums.² Your costs could include:

• Deductibles
• Copays
• Coinsurance on all sorts of healthcare services like doctors’ visits, medications, procedures, etc.
• Out-of-network costs

Without looking more closely, you could end up spending more in out-of-pocket expenses than what you saved in monthly premiums.

It’s the total cost that matters, not just the monthly premium.

To do a proper assessment of your healthcare needs, you should review your:

• Coverage options
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Different monthly premium costs

If you approach choosing a health insurance plan this way, you can make a well-informed choice that meets your needs and your budget.

Health Insurance Tip #3: Check network and coverage in your area

Confirm that your health insurance plan will have the coverage for your needs.³

For example:

• Make sure your medications are covered.
• Find out if your current doctors are in network.
• If you have an upcoming procedure, make sure it’s covered by the new plan,
• Find out if you need a referral to visit a specialist,
• Check to see if your plan covers specialty care such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, therapeutic massage, or naturopathic care.

If you notice missing pieces to your coverage, you may want to consider a supplemental health insurance plan.

• These plans are designed to help you with out-of-pocket expenses for things like dental, vision, major accident and illness, and even cancer expenses. 

Health Insurance Tip #4: Seek help from a licensed insurance agent

Let’s face it, health insurance can be like a puzzle.

With all the different coverage levels, premiums, subsidy applications, and provider networks, it’s easy to get confused.

But you don’t have to go it alone. A licensed health insurance agent can help you:

• Compare plans
• Assess your coverage needs
• Find a plan that meets your budget.

Licensed insurance agents do not charge you for their services, and your plans will not cost any more or less if you get their help.⁴

For you, it is a no-cost service that can lead you towards coverage that will best suit your needs.

Tips for health insurance shopping:

• Compare plans available in your area.
• Check all costs, including premiums, deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.
• Make sure you have all the coverage you may need.
• If you need help, don’t be worried about reaching out to a licensed insurance agent – their services don’t cost you anything.

Want help with choosing a health insurance plan?

Give us a call at (800) 827-9990 to chat with a licensed insurance agent, or find a local health insurance agent in your area. We’ll help you compare plans, coverage, premiums, and everything else. We can even help you enroll.