Affordable Health Care Insurance Quotes
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Searching for affordable health care insurance is a fairly easy process when you use the Internet to find the plan that is right for your situation. You do need to be aware of a few things when you are comparing your options, as outlined below.
eHealthInsurance is the best place online to find affordable health care coverage, with over 10,000 products to choose from. You can easily compare your health care insurance options, get FREE, no-obligation quotes instantly, and apply for coverage when you visit eHealthInsurance.
Affordable Health Care Insurance Analysis
There are a few things to consider when searching for affordable healthcare insurance.
- Monthly Premium - The monthly premium is the amount of money you pay each month in order to have coverage from a health care plan. One of the best ways to lower your premium is to carry a higher deductible.
- Coverage - It is important for a health care plan to offer the benefits that you need the most. If a plan does not offer the coverage you need, then it isn't much good to you.
- Providers - A quality health care policy should allow you to have access to the doctors and hospitals that you need. Some types of plans are more restrictive about who you can see, so pick a plan that works for you.
- Emergencies - Access to emergency medical care is very important, so pay attention if a plan has coverage for emergencies.
- Your Financial Responsibilities - What costs are your responsibility? Is there a co-pay for medical services, a coinsurance amount, or do you have an annual deductible that has to be satisfied? Fully comprehend what your out-of-pocket expenses will be.
- Policy Limitations - Are certain conditions or procedures excluded from coverage? Do you need maternity coverage? Understand what is, and isn't, covered by a plan so you aren't surprised down the road.
The search for affordable healthcare coverage can be confusing if you don't understand what you need to be looking for. Fortunately, eHealthInsurance makes it easy to become knowledgeable about plan differences, enabling you to find the perfect plan.
Affordable Health Care Coverage Quotes
With the ability to instantly receive affordable health care insurance quotes from over 180 of the leading providers, eHealthInsurance makes it easy to find the coverage you are looking for at a price that you can live with. Easily compare your options, get quotes and apply for coverage online with eHealthInsurance.
Whether you purchase health care coverage from eHealthInsurance, a local agent, or from the provider, you will be paying the same amount for the same plan. This is because health insurance premiums are approved by each state and the same plan will cost the same regardless of where you purchase it from.
Instantly get FREE, no-obligation, affordable health care insurance quotes from eHealthInsurance today!
How Healthcare Insurance Works
Below is a video from eHealthInsurance using a hypothetical scenario to help explain how health care coverage works.
Managed Care Plan Types Compared
| HMO | POS* | PPO | |
| Low Flexibility - HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations) have the least amount of flexibility of the three managed care plan types as they require the insured to have a primary care physician who refers them to any other medical professionals. Care is all within the network of doctors that have contracted with the health insurance provider - this limits the provider options. If a medical professional or facility is not within the network, the insured will not have medical coverage if they choose to use them (unless it is an emergency). |  |  | |
| Moderate Flexibility - POS (Point of Service) plans are more flexible than the HMO plans, but not as flexible as the PPO plans. POS plans are a hybrid of both HMO and PPO, with the main component being a referral and co-pay based plan like an HMO where a primary care physician is picked, who then refers the insured to in-network medical professionals, and the insured is responsible for co-pays up to an annual out-of-pocket amount. A POS has an out-of-network option that is deductible, non-referral based that allows the insured to choose where to receive care, but expenses are out-of-pocket until the annual deductible limit has been met. This gives an option to a person that doesn't want to be locked into a totally referral based structure that an HMO provides. | | | |
| High Flexibility - PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plans are the most flexible of the three managed care plan types. There is no referral necessary to see a medical professional, which means the insured can seek care from whomever they wish, including both in-network and out of network providers. Costs will generally be lower for in-network providers, as the medical professionals have a contractual obligation to provide care at a negotiated rate. While care can be sought outside of the network, the insured will be faced with higher annual deductible amounts, possibly higher co-insurance amounts, and generally overall higher costs. | | | |
| In-Network Only - Healthcare must be received from a medical professional that is part of the network that contracts with the insurance provider. This network of medical professionals has a contract with the insurance company that states they will provide services for a set rate (depending on the service rendered), thus providing care at a discounted rate. If care is received from a medical professional outside of the network, the insurance provider most likely will not pay for the coverage (except for cases of emergencies). | | | |
| In & Out of Network - The insured may seek medical care within a network of healthcare professionals that have contracted with the insurance provider to provide care at a reduced cost. The insured may also seek medical care outside of the network, but their out-of-pocket expenses will be higher as care is not provided at a reduced rate. Maximum annual deductibles will be higher for out of network providers, greatly increasing the costs to the insured, giving them incentive to only seek care from an in-network provider. | | | |
| Referral Based - The insured must pick a primary care physician who provides referrals to other medical care professionals as needed. If you see a specialist without a referral, your costs most likely will not be covered by the insurance provider. | | | |
| Non-Referral Based - The insured does not need a referral to seek medical treatment from a healthcare professional. They may see whomever they wish, though it is in their best interest to see in-network providers to keep their costs low. | | | |
| Co-Pay Based - The insured is responsible for co-pays (for office visits and medical procedures) until an annual maximum out-of-pocket expense limit is reached, at which time coverage is paid for 100% by the insurance provider. | | | |
| Deductible Based - The insured pays for care out-of-pocket (at rates negotiated by the insurance company) until an annual deductible is met, at which time the insurance company starts to pay. Once the deductible is met, there may be a co-insurance amount (up to an annual maximum), which is a percentage of the bill the insured pays, such as 20%, where the insurance company picks up the tab for the rest. Depending on the plan, you may have a co-pay for certain things such as doctor office visits, though many PPOs don't use a co-pay. | | | |
| Low Cost - An HMO typically is the least expensive health coverage option, but gives you the least flexibility. | | | |
| Moderate Cost - A POS plan's price usually comes in somewhere between that of a comparable HMO and PPO. This is because it offers a bit of the benefits of both, while trying to contain costs. People looking for the low cost benefits of an HMO, yet a bit more flexibility (like a PPO) should consider a POS plan. | | | |
| Higher Cost - A PPO plan is the most flexible, but is usually the most expensive. You pay for the ability to pick and choose your medical professional, without being locked down to a primary care provider. If flexibility is what you want, you will pay a higher monthly premium. | | | |
*POS Plans - The most popular type of managed care plans are HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations) and PPOs (Preferred Provider Organizations). POS plans, while available, are not as common as the other two, so as you are comparing plan benefits and costs via eHealthInsurance's website, don't be surprised if all you see are HMOs and PPOs.
