Want to know how to get low cost health insurance from A-rated companies? Here's how to do it.
Low Cost Health Insurance Plans
The lowest-cost health insurance plans are known as managed health care plans. Here's a brief overview of these plans:
* HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) - When you sign up for one of these plans you are given a network of doctors and hospitals that you must visit when you're ill. You pay a monthly premium, as well as a co-payment of $5 to $15 for each doctor visit. This is the cheapest plan because you're restricted to seeing only doctors within your network.
* PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) - This plan also sets you up with a network of doctors and hospitals. Like an HMO, you pay a monthly premium as well as a co-payment of $5 to $15 for each doctor visit. You may see a non-network physician, but you'll only receive partial payment for his or her services. This is the most popular of the managed health care plans.
* POS (Point-of-Service Plan) - This plan is a meld of an HMO and a PPO. You're set up with a health-care network, and you pay a monthly premium as well as nominal copayments for doctor visits. If your designated primary physician refers you to a non-network physician, this plan will pay for your treatment. This is the most costly and the most flexible plan.
Where to Get Low Cost Health Insurance Quotes
The best way to get low cost health insurance is to comparison shop. And the best way to do that is to go to an insurance comparison website. These sites are affiliated with a number of insurance companies who compete to get your health insurance business.
All you do is fill out a simple form and wait to get a quote. You then choose the quote that best suits your needs.
If you have any health insurance questions, the better sites have a chat feature where you can get them answered by an insurance professional. (See link below.)
Where to Get Company Ratings
If you want to make sure you're dealing with a reputable health insurance company you can get U.S. News & World Report's Best Health Plans report. This report rates companies based on member satisfaction, access to care, and delivery of preventive services and treatment. You can see it at: www.usnews.com/usnews/health/best-health-insurance/topplans.htm.
By: Brian Stevens