Dear Lifehacker,
My employer doesn't offer health insurance, so I need to find my own. Where should I look to get an affordable plan and what kinds of coverage can I get?
Thanks,
Health Plan Hunter
Dear HPH,
Many of us are in the same boat as you, whether because we work for ourselves, lost a job, or, like you, work for a company that doesn't have offer health insurance. Unfortunately, health insurance coverage outside of work isn't very often what you might call "affordable," but we can help you sort through your options.
Cheapest Option: Get Covered Under a Parent's Plan
If you're under the age of 26, you may be able to be added to your parent's health plan. According to Healthcare.gov, this applies even if you're married, not living with them, and not financially dependent on them, and it would most probably be your cheapest option even if you pay your parents back for your part of the premium costs.
For Select Cases: Federal/State Options
Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP)/High Risk Pool: Under the Affordable Care Act, people who have had trouble getting insurance due to a pre-existing condition can get health insurance coverage with a PCIP. It'll cover major medical and prescription drug costs. Deductibles, premiums, and out of pocket limits may vary by state. As an example, though, in New York, the premium ranges from $362 to $421 per month. See coverage details for your state here.
Medicaid: The Medicaid program offers health coverage if you have limited income and/or meet other criteria, such as being pregnant or disabled. Your state's department of health is the best place to check for more information.
Finding Your Own Insurance: Comparison Tools
If the above doesn't apply to you, you'll need to find a private health insurance plan that'll cover either just you or your family. Two good resources for comparing plans are HealthCare.gov's plan finder and eHealthInsurance.com. Check both because they might not list the same exact plans.
With the HealthCare.gov finder, you can sort by "Estimated Monthly Base Rate"?the amount you'll have to pay by month, rather than the default out-of-pocket limit (Before resorting, the top plan listed for me was estimated at $1,932 per month! For an individual plan!).
At eHealthInsurance, you can also sort by price or deductible and also see customer ratings.
Plan Types
Other than traditional health insurance plan types, such an HMO plan where you see a primary care physician who refers you to specialists if needed, or a PPO plan where you choose from a network of health care providers to see, there are two other types of plans that can save you money:
Emergency Coverage: The cheapest plans are the hospital-only ones, best if you're pretty healthy and only need "just in case" hospital care insurance. Thanks to new regulations, some of these types of plans are required to also offer preventative care services at no charge, such as flu shots and regular well-child visits.
High Deductible, HSA-compatible Health Plans: A high-deductible plan can be cheaper than regular plans on a monthly basis, because your coverage doesn't begin until after you've paid for any health care up to the deductible amount (usually a few thousand dollars). Using a Health Savings Account (HSA), you can put away money towards that high deductible using pre-tax dollars, for some significant tax savings, and unlike FSAs, your money doesn't have to be all used up every year. eHealthInsurance has a calculator for you to see the tax savings you can get using a HSA.
Other Places to Look for Health Insurance: Associations
Finally, in addition to comparing plans using the sites above, you may be able to get more affordable health insurance by joining an association or other group. The Freelancers Union, for example, is a free group that offers health and other types of insurance. Be sure to compare any quotes, however, with plans you can find on your own, as above.
Good luck on your quest to find coverage!
Love,
Lifehacker
You can follow or contact Melanie Pinola, the author of this post, on Twitter or Google+.
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