Insurance Basics: Home
Your employer may offer more than one health plan, or you may be shopping for your own individual plan.
Skipping health insurance may seem like you’re saving money in the short run—especially if you’re young and healthy. But the cost of getting care without health insurance can be more than you expect. An unforeseen hospital stay, for example, can cost you tens of thousands of dollars.
Many insurers offer different types of plans. The costs, coverage and rules differ for each
Your plan may have different rules and costs for different healthcare settings. In any setting, you may have to pay a copay, and in some cases, coinsurance. But, these may be waived for preventive services like flu shots and mammograms.
Employers offer health coverage to their workers in several ways. Some buy an “off the shelf” plan from a commercial insurance company.
Since providers are able to decide how much to charge for out-of-network care, sometimes that charge might be higher than you expected.
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If you visit a doctor who doesn´t take your plan, you can use your cost estimate to negotiate the price.
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If your health plan paid less than you expected, you can use your cost estimate to appeal.