Insurance Basics – Health Insurance
What Is Health Insurance?
Health insurance is a way to manage the cost of health care. Health insurance companies collect premiums and pay out benefits. Covered services can include preventive care like routine check-ups and treatment for illness and injury.
Individual health insurance is health coverage you purchase on your own directly from an insurance company rather than a group plan sponsored by an employer. While the name suggests it’s only for individuals, these policies can cover single people as well as families.
The Need for Individual Health Insurance
Usually, if you get your medical insurance through your employer, the employer will pay at least a portion of the cost. Some employers negotiate with health insurance companies to obtain discounted rates for their group of employees. However, many workers don’t have access to a group plan. Others don’t find employer-sponsored coverage to be affordable health insurance for them or the best health insurance for their needs. Of course, everyone still needs health insurance to help protect their physical and financial health, and you may have more insurance options than you think.
Explore Your Options
Plan design and availability vary by state. Find out which ones are available where you live.
What Are My Individual and Family Health Insurance Options?
Though you can choose a number of supplemental insurance plans that can help round out any health care coverage, the main choices for health insurance are:
- Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance - Commonly called Obamacare, this major medical insurance can’t exclude you because of preexisting conditions and must offer specific health benefits.
- Short Term health insurance - This is temporary medical insurance meant to help cover gaps in other coverage.
- Medicare - Major medical insurance for those 65 or older or with qualifying disabilities.
Of course, these options are all different in coverage, exclusions, even in the way you enroll. But that’s what individual health insurance is about - choice. It’s about you choosing to build the coverage you want. The information on this website and our licensed product advisors available at 1-800-273-8115 can help you start building the best health insurance coverage that fits your needs and budget today.
What about COBRA?
COBRA allows for continued group health insurance coverage after an employee is terminated, but the insured bears the full cost of the premium.
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