What Are the Best Affordable Health Insurance Plans Available?
When surveyed recently, 13% of American adults between 18 and 64 did not have health insurance. Furthermore, Americans who live in non-Medicaid expansion states were as likely to be uninsured by almost double at 19.1%.
Health insurance is vital to protect yourself from immense medical costs. These can crop up unexpectedly if you or your family gets hurt. However, health insurance premiums aren’t all equal, so finding the best affordable health insurance plans is essential if you want to keep your expenses low.
So, if you’re looking to purchase health insurance, then keep reading. Here’s everything you need to know about finding affordable health insurance plans.
What Is Health Insurance?
The term health insurance describes insurance that pays a portion of the medical costs of the policyholder. It can also be referred to as healthcare insurance or medical insurance. You can buy health insurance in several ways, such as using a health insurance agent, going direct to the health insurance company, or using a health insurance broker.
Each health insurance company will have its own medical plans that they offer its customers. Agents and brokers are preferred because they can provide you with health insurance quotes and provide you with a hand full of health insurance plans to compare. The insurance plan’s coverage, copayment terms, deductibles, coinsurance, and costs will vary from provider to provider.
If you don’t have health insurance and you suffer a severe illness or accident that requires medical care at a hospital, a hospital may refuse to treat you, or you may end up with massive medical bills if they do attend to you.
How to Find the Best Affordable Health Insurance Plans?
There are several ways you can find the best affordable health insurance plans. If a company employs you, they may offer medical insurance as a work benefit. Often the company will pay part of the monthly premiums, and the policyholder will cover the rest. This makes this option an excellent way to secure affordable health insurance.
Another way is to look into Medicaid and see if you qualify. Medicaid is a medical health insurance program that is government-funded. It’s available primarily for low-income residents and their families. Eligibility requirements may differ from state to state, so look into your state’s requirements.
Of course, one of the easiest and most recommended ways to secure health insurance is to contact an agent or broker directly. These professionally trained individuals will be able to understand your insurance needs and find health insurance plans that will suit your requirements and your budget. They don’t bill the policyholder but rather earn a commission from the insurance plans they sell.
Top Five Best Health Insurance Plans
So if you’ve decided to look into affordable health insurance plans, we can start you up with five plans you can consider. This a reminder that the prices listed here may not apply to you as rate factors may vary.
1. United Healthcare
UnitedHealthcare is one of the largest health insurers in the US. They over coverage in nearly every state across the country, including 18 states in the Affordable Care Act marketplace.
They offer insurance coverage through Medicare, employer-based plans, short-term and supplemental insurance, and Medicaid. Furthermore, they provide additional benefits on selected plans. This can include unlimited virtual visits and prescription drug delivery.
- Cost: They offer low-cost Bronze plans that average around $894 monthly, which is only $74.50 per month.
2. Kaiser Permanente
While Kaiser Permanente is only available in 8 states (and Washington, DC), it still has 39 hospitals and 734 medical facilities in its provider network. It’s a nonprofit organization that assists with health insurance and health services. They are available in the following states:
- California
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Maryland
- Oregon
- Virginia
- Washington, Washington, DC.
Kaiser Permanente has an extensive list of pharmacies, doctors, labs, imaging, and other services available through their plans.
- Cost:Â They offer low-cost Bronze plans that average $782 monthly
3. Oscar
Oscar is one health insurance company that you should consider. They’re a modern startup company and offer their customers an app. This app gives you access to $0 virtual urgent care, which you can utilize at any time in the day (night included) and pays you back every time you meet your daily step goals.
Oscar also offers a wide variety of health management programs that can include ones for depression, weight loss, diabetes, pain management, and more.
- Cost:Â They offer low-cost Bronze plans that cost between $300 and $400 per month
4. Aetna
The amount you pay for your medical insurance can be dramatically reduced if you are eligible for the advance premium tax credit. Aetna is a marketplace company, which makes their plans able to be reduced to $0. While Aetna has steeper deductibles, it offers lower-cost premiums, which make up for that.
Their higher deductibles should be acceptable if you have a health savings account (HSA) or don’t plan to use your insurance for more than preventative care.
- Cost:Â Monthly premiums vary between markets and can vary from $286 to $366
5. Molina Healthcare
Molina Healthcare is an excellent option for Americans who want to utilize their insurance plan for more than preventative care. This is because, while they have slightly higher monthly premiums, they have significantly reduced deductibles.
This health insurance company is available in 14 states and Puerto Rico. They’re an excellent option for low-income families and anyone receiving government assistance.
- Cost:Â Molina’s deductibles can be as low as $3,000 compared to other health insurance companies, which can reach as high as $9,100
Get Perfect Health Insurance For Your Whole Family
Finding the right health insurance can seem overwhelming if you need help knowing where to begin. That’s why we gathered our top five best affordable health insurance plans to guide you in the right direction. If you’re handling your health insurance yourself, spend time researching all your options before committing to anything.
Otherwise, consider enlisting the services of a health insurance agency or a health insurance broker. They can source health insurance plans that are most suitable for you.
If you want the assistance of qualified health insurance agents, contact us today so we can help. We represent several health insurance companies and can help you find out if you prequalify.
