Obamacare is in effect, so every citizen of the United States must now have health insurance or face tax penalties. Because of this change, you may be searching for the most affordable medical insurance you can find for your family. Choosing medical insurance can seem like a daunting task. Between differences in premiums, co-payments and deductibles, there is a lot to consider. Here are some tips on how to find the best insurance plan for you and your family.
Decide if you need an HMO, PPO or POS. There are generally three types of health insurance plans. HMOs are “health maintenance organizations,” PPOs are “preferred provider organizations” and POSs are “point-of-service plans.” If you choose an HMO, you have to use physicians within a specific network. This means you will have less flexibility in your coverage, but you will also save money. A PPO will let you choose your doctor, but you will pay much more. A POS plan combines the two options. If you are looking for affordable medical insurance, an HMO might be the way to go.
Look for your favorite doctors. Before you choose an HMO though, you should look to see if your favorite doctors are in the network. It may be tough to switch doctors if you are in the middle of treatment or a pregnancy.
Check out differences in plans. Before you enroll in a plan, or re-enroll in your current plan, look for changes to the benefits. For example, your plan may no longer cover chiropractic care. Make sure to check for these types of changes since they could greatly affect how much you pay.
Really pay attention to freebies. Many new plans offer your some free care. Check to make sure your current plan does not already offer those services before switching.
Size up the cost differences. You can compare the costs of different affordable medical insurance plans by using an online calculator. Young, healthy people may want to trade expensive monthly premiums for a higher deductible. When you are making these calculations, make sure to take into account how much you will pay in copays and coinsurance.
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