Find Affordable Health Insurance

Finding affordable health insurance is hard work. But, it can be rewarding if it's done well with some professional input. Having guidelines from objective sources will help you streamline the process. So will a good checklist.

By doing a bit of homework, you may save hundreds, even thousands, of dollars each year on your health insurance premiums, as well as in general health care costs or procedures that you thought were covered - only to learn, after the fact, they were not.

First things first:

Insurance shopping begins with how much you can afford to pay for monthly (or quarterly, or even annual) insurance premiums. Next, determine what your medical needs actually are. Do you have a family? Do you need regular or preventive medical care? Do you only want a major medical policy, which has high deductibles but covers medical emergencies and surgeries?

Once you've taken stock of those things, find a licensed insurance agent who can advise you on specific plans offered by different companies - or begin your general research online. Check out your potential insurers' reputations by plugging their names into web sites like A.M. Best Company's or Moody's Investors Service. Any existing complaints filed against an insurance company - such as refusal to pay claims or illegally dropping a client - should be reported on web sites like Best or Moody's.

Now, use this checklist to find cheap health insurance quotes without sacrificing the coverage you need.

Do you require:

-prescription coverage
-immunization
-emergency room visits/emergency care
-annual check-ups or physicals
-maternity coverage and/or "well" childcare
-regular doctor visits
-dependent coverage/home health care
-specialist coverage for vision, dental, speech, mental health, home care, surgeries, etc.

Also consider these overall questions before signing on the dotted line:

-Will pre-existing conditions be excluded for a period?
-Is your current physician on the plan's provider network?
-Where are the nearest hospitals you can visit with your plan?
-Is there a wide selection of primary care physicians and specialists covered by the health insurance quotes?

Other key monetary questions are:

-What will your out-of-pocket expenses be for prescriptions, special testing and diagnostic procedures, preventive care, or for general doctor visits?
-How many doctor visits is each insured person allowed per year, quarter, or even per month, as some insurance companies specify?
-What is the policy's ceiling on out-of-pocket expenses for major operations and other serious (and pricey) medical procedures? In other words, what is the maximum you will have to pay, out-of-pocket, on a particular procedure?

Final note:

Armed with the proper information, you can find a health insurance plan to protect you and your family. It's best to spend the extra time researching - and don't be afraid to ask "stupid" questions. When it comes to your and your family's health care, there are NO stupid questions!

---

Connect With Health Insurance Agents Now. Just Fill The Short Form Out At The Top Of This Page.

Health insurance quotes are provided by licensed agents and brokers that partner with USInsuranceOnline.com to help consumers compare rates and save money.