Understand Your Healthcare Options
Laid-off workers, along with recent college graduates, early retirees and the self-employed, can find themselves unprotected in the case of an illness or injury. More than 44 million Americans do not have health coverage. Another 25 million people are under-insured.
Without health insurance, an injury or illness can devastate a person's finances. Most Americans cannot afford to pay medical expenses out-of-pocket, and it's unrealistic to count on continued good health.
Insurance companies offer many plans to help. With enough information and a thorough understanding of the application process, people have a better chance of finding healthcare plans that fit within their budgets. Individual medical coverage allows Americans to tailor their insurance to suit their specific needs.
Some organizations are making it easier for consumers to access information about health insurance options. For example, Consumers for Competitive Choice (C4CC) Education Fund, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides information and tools to help consumers make informed decisions in the marketplace, recently launched a new Web site, simplecoverage.org, to help Americans learn about health insurance.
In easy-to-understand language, the Web site details the different types of coverage, how to find health insurance, how to evaluate plans and what to expect when applying for coverage.
Simplecoverage.org tells Americans to ask the following questions whenever considering a health insurance plan:
- Will this plan cover routine check-ups and health care services, or do I have to pay these expenses?
- Can I use my own doctors and medical facilities?
- How much will I have to pay for premiums, deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance?
- What health services are covered? How much will the policy pay for those services?
- If I pay more for deductibles and co-pays, will this save me money on premiums?
- Does the insurance offer discounts for using certain doctors?
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