Our Health Plans
Family Health Insurance
Family health insurance provides coverage for multiple members of a household under one policy. It offers more comprehensive benefits and cost savings compared to individual plans. Family plans allow you to add dependents like a spouse and children. There are different types like PPOs, HMOs, HSAs, and catastrophic plans to choose from.
Costs of family health insurance include a monthly premium (average $1600 for family), deductible, copays, and out-of-pocket maximums. To find affordable options, it’s important to shop around and compare quotes. Some low-income families may qualify for subsidized or even free coverage through government programs like Medicaid and CHIP.
Currently, 5 states have an individual mandate requiring all family members to have health insurance or face penalties. In some cases, exemptions to the mandate are available. Though not mandated nationwide, family health insurance provides valuable financial protection and expanded coverage for preventive, emergency, and specialty care.
Short-Term Health Insurance
Short-term health insurance provides temporary coverage during life transitions like job loss or waiting for new coverage to start. It typically costs $50-$200 per month. Short-term plans have lower premiums but less comprehensive benefits compared to ACA marketplace plans. They don’t cover services like maternity, mental health, or pre-existing conditions.
Short-term insurance is not considered minimum essential coverage under the ACA, so you may face tax penalties depending on your state. It can cover doctor visits, ER, hospitalization, some preventive care, tests, and prescriptions. However, these plans have annual or lifetime coverage limits.
You can apply for short-term coverage anytime; it’s not limited to open enrollment. Quotes and plans can be easily compared using sites like FirstQuote Health. Pros are quick enrollment, lower costs, and flexibility. Cons are limited benefits and temporary coverage duration. Overall, short-term health insurance serves as an affordable stop-gap when transitioning between traditional plans.
Catastrophic Health Insurance
Catastrophic health insurance provides essential coverage for major illnesses and injuries. Premiums are typically lower but have higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. Catastrophic plans cover hospitalization, emergency care, some preventive services, and prescription drugs. But they do not cover routine doctor visits, dental, or elective procedures.
Catastrophic coverage is available to those under 30 or people over 30 with a financial hardship exemption. Pros are lower monthly costs and protection against expensive medical events. Cons are potentially high out-of-pocket expenses and lack of coverage for routine care.
Catastrophic plans can only be purchased through the ACA marketplace during open enrollment or special enrollment periods. You cannot get subsidies for catastrophic plans, but they do qualify as minimum essential coverage under the ACA. Deductibles are over $7,000, but monthly premiums average around $267.
Overall, catastrophic health plans provide affordable basic coverage, especially for younger and healthier individuals who don’t expect frequent medical care. But routine expenses can add up without comprehensive benefits.
Supplemental Health Insurance
Supplemental health insurance provides extra coverage beyond a traditional health plan, like covering co-pays, deductibles, dental, vision, travel, or disability costs. Popular types are dental, vision, Medigap, disability, and travel insurance. Supplemental plans work like other insurance where you pay monthly premiums and are covered for specified services.
Supplemental insurance is beneficial for those with pre-existing conditions, seniors, lower incomes, or anyone wanting extra financial protection. It does not cover services outside the policy’s scope. You can have Medicaid or Medicare plus supplemental coverage, but it’s optional.
Pros of supplemental plans are filling coverage gaps and potentially lowering premiums. Cons are limited benefits and payouts. Supplemental insurance differs from secondary insurance in that it covers services uncompensated by any other plans. You can have multiple health plans, using primary and secondary policies first.
Average supplemental insurance costs around $800 for individuals, $2400 for families in 2023. Some plans allow tax deductions. To find and compare supplemental quotes, use sites like FirstQuote Health. Purchasing supplemental coverage provides extra security beyond standard health insurance.
Travel Health Insurance
Travel health insurance provides medical coverage for those traveling outside their home country. You purchase a policy and submit claims yourself if you need overseas care. Plans can cover pre-existing conditions, surgeries, prescriptions, mental health services, medical evacuation, and more.
Travel insurance does not usually cover routine care or pre-existing conditions, depending on the plan. Good candidates for travel health insurance are families on vacation, students abroad, missionaries, aid workers, and business travelers without international coverage.
Benefits include financial protection abroad, understanding policies in your native language, and access to provider networks. Drawbacks are no return on investment if unused, added trip costs, and self-filing claims. General plans offer basic coverage while specialty plans are more comprehensive.
Costs range from $40 to thousands, depending on trip duration, age, number covered, and extent of coverage. Travel insurance can be purchased directly from the provider or via third parties. Policies can often be obtained 24 hours pre-travel since they take effect once abroad. Overall, travel health insurance is recommended to cover medical emergencies internationally.
Private Health Insurance
Private health insurance is provided by private companies, not the government. It offers more options in terms of plan design, cost-sharing, and benefits compared to public insurance like Medicare and Medicaid. Consumers purchase policies directly through insurers or employers.
Private plans cover services like doctor visits, hospitalization, prescription drugs, and preventive care. You pay monthly premiums and cost-sharing like deductibles, copays, and coinsurance. Types of private plans include HMOs, PPOs, EPOs, and POS plans.
Pros of private insurance are more provider choice and shorter wait times. Cons are potentially higher costs without subsidies and possibly not meeting ACA standards. Average monthly premiums are around $456. More affordable options are catastrophic and short-term plans.
Alternatives to private insurance are medical sharing plans, indemnity insurance, care memberships, and paying out-of-pocket. Increasing premiums can lead to reduced coverage and higher uninsured rates. Top private insurers include Kaiser, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Molina. Quotes can be easily compared at sites like FirstQuote Health.