5 Things To Think About When Choosing A Health Insurance Plan

Looking for healthcare coverage has never been easy and the new changes made under the Affordable Care Act can make things even more confusing for people without insurance. Now that Americans are required to be covered with health insurance there will be more people searching for the right one to meet their needs. If you currently need to find health insurance coverage and are trying to understand the differences between plans there are a few things to consider during the process.

1. Balance Out of Pocket Costs Versus Monthly Premiums

The first thing to think about when choosing healthcare coverage, is figuring out how to balance the monthly cost and the amount you pay for each visit. Plans that have higher monthly premiums will allow you to pay less money out of pocket and plans with lower premiums will have higher out of pocket costs.

The decision should be based on how often you tend to visit the doctor or if you get regular prescriptions. Someone who visits the doctor infrequently should get lower monthly premiums to avoid spending too much on health coverage.

2. Choose a Plan Based on Flexibility or Affordability

There are generally 3 types of health insurance plans to choose from: HMO (health maintenance organizations), PPO (preferred provider organizations) and POS (point of service plants). A plan that is an HMO will offer less flexibility in terms of using a physician only within a specific network but is more affordable while a PPO offers more flexibility to go out of network but costs more.

A POS allows the option of going out of network but asks that you choose a primary physician within the network.

3. Look for Preventative Health Services

For those who were not enrolled in an existing health insurance plan before the new healthcare reform law passed, they will be able to take advantage of preventative services with a new plan.

These are health services that prevent potentially costly health problems and can include immunizations, blood pressure tests, mammograms, mental health services, smoking cessation programs, depression screening, diet counseling and a number of other options.

4. Find Cheaper Insurance for Good Health Habits

If you practice good health habits you may be able to choose a less expensive plan. That means eating healthy, exercising, drinking moderately and not smoking. Living a healthy life style makes you less of a risk for insurance companies.

Insurance coverage costs more for a smoker than a nonsmoker for example and you will be able to save money on healthcare costs in the long run if you work to fight preventable illnesses.

5. Talk to an Advisor

For those especially concerned about making the right choice for healthcare, an advisor can help answer any questions you have and explain all the details that you do not understand. There is no reason to guess with something as important as a health insurance plan.

Find an insurance expert to help you look for a health plan that suits your budget as well as your personal healthcare needs.