Make shopping for health insurance a less overwhelming task.


Shopping for health insurance can be overwhelming, but Marty Anderson, Director of Consumer Marketing at Security Health Plan, explains how to make the process a bit more manageable.

“When you invest the time, shopping for health insurance can often be easier than shopping for a new cellphone plan,” said Anderson.

He said because of the standardization brought about by the Affordable Care Act, it’s easier than ever before to do an apples-to-apples comparison of health insurance plans.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) is a wide-ranging law that affects many aspects of the health care and health insurance industries.

“One of the main impacts on the everyday consumer is the fact that everyone is now required to have health insurance or pay a penalty,” said Anderson. “In 2016, the penalty increases dramatically to $295 per person and goes up in subsequent years.”

Though the cost of insurance can be considerable, the price of not having insurance is much more significant.

“Just like with any insurance, health insurance protects you from unexpected, catastrophic costs," said Anderson. “Without health insurance, seemingly minor medical conditions can leave you with a huge amount of medical debt. Nobody expects to break an arm or to be hospitalized for appendicitis, but without health insurance, costs can easily top $10,000.”

When shopping for insurance, Anderson suggests making a list of the top five things that are important and use that as shopping criteria.

Once you know what you are looking for, it makes the process much simpler,”  he said. “Also, enlist the help of experts when you need to. Contact a local insurance agent or an assistant who can help sort through your needs and enroll you in a plan.”

A few things to consider when shopping for health insurance:

1.     How much care do I typically use in a year? Identify the health care services that you usually use (e.g. preventive doctors visit, prescription drugs, urgent care) and tally up what you and your family spends on those plans in a year. Once you have that number, compare what you would pay for those services on each of the plans you are considering.

2.     Is my doctor in network? Always check to see whether your current doctor is in network on the plans that you are considering. If you are willing to switch doctors, or don’t have a usual doctor you go to, consider enrolling in a plan with a smaller network of doctors. You can often save considerably on your monthly premium.

3.     What does this plan cover? Every insurance carrier has to cover Essential Health Benefits according to the Affordable Care Act, but coverage can vary from carrier to carrier. Take a look at the carrier’s Policy and Schedule of Benefits documents to get a better idea of what exactly is covered.

The most important thing to remember when shopping for a health insurance plan is research and patience. Anderson encourages everyone to enlist the assistance of the hundreds of independent consultants (insurance agents or assistors) who can help understand each individual’s needs and assist in choosing a plan.

“Take your time when choosing a health insurance plan. Do a little research on the coverage offered by the insurance carrier and don’t be afraid to call them directly to ask questions,” said Anderson. “And remember, you only have to do it once per year.”

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