Cheap Health Insurance Rate Quotes
Find the Cheapest Health Insurance Quote Online
Looking just for a cheap health insurance rate is not the best way to shop for health coverage. You need to make sure the health plan is right for your situation, which means the cheapest health insurance plan may not be the best. You should use the Internet to compare your options to not only find health insurance cheap, but also find a plan you actually can use.
The Internet's leading source of cheap, private health insurance is eHealthInsurance. Representing more than 180 companies that offer over 10,000 heath care products, eHealthInsurance is one-stop shopping for cheap, low cost health insurance coverage. Compare your options, instantly get a FREE, no-obligation, cheap health insurance quote, and apply for coverage, all from your computer.
Cheap Health Insurance Rate Providers
Before rushing out to get cheap health insurance coverage, you need to consider a couple of things. You need to remember that when purchasing health insurance, you are buying a pledge that the provider will be there when you need to make use of your coverage.
In exchange for a monthly premium, you receive coverage for any medical claims you may have. However, the company providing the health coverage has to be financially stable and reputable in order to hold up their end of the bargain.
A cheap, private health insurance provider needs to be stable enough to pay your medical claims. You need to check out the stability of your prospective insurance provider before you purchase coverage from them. This means that instead of just looking at the cheap health insurance rate, you need to confirm they will be there when you need them the most.
Fortunately, eHealthInsurance allows you to not only get health insurance cheap, but to find out the financial stability of each provider. eHealthInsurance's website has the AM Best financial rating for each health insurance provider, giving you a good indication of their financial strength in a glance.
You shouldn't just buy the cheapest health insurance plan that you can find. You need to take some time to ensure the plan not only fits your needs, but is backed by a company that is financially stable.
Finding the Cheapest Health Insurance
With eHealthInsurance, you can find cheap, low cost health insurance from providers that are financially stable. By being able to easily compare health insurance plan rates side-by-side, you are able to decide which provider offers the cheap health insurance coverage that fits your budget and has the benefits you need.
When you get a quote from eHealthInsurance, know that it is the lowest available for a particular plan. Health insurance premiums are set by a state's Department of Insurance, so no matter where you get your coverage from, you will be paying the same rate.
Visit eHealthInsurance to take advantage of their free service to get a FREE, no-obligation, cheap health insurance quote today!
How Health Insurance Works
Below is a video from eHealthInsurance using a hypothetical scenario to help explain how health 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.
