How to Find the Best Health Insurance Plan for You and Your Family

(Photo : How to Find the Best Health Insurance Plan for You and Your Family)

The United States Census Bureau conducts three nationwide surveys to gather health insurance data. One of them is the Current Population Survey's Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC). The CPS ASEC reported that 25.6 million Americans, an estimated eight percent of the population, didn't have health insurance (2017). The next year, those figures increased to 27.5 million uninsured Americans, making up eight-and-a-half percent of the population (2018).

Sixty-seven-point three percent of the population has private health insurance, while 34.4 percent has public coverage. A little over 55 percent of the population receives coverage through employers, making this subtype of health insurance the most common (2018). Of Americans aged 19 and younger, 5.5 percent lacked insurance.

Many people forgo getting health insurance because it can be expensive. Young people, single adults, those who rarely make visits to the doctor, and those who consider themselves in good health may go without coverage, thinking it's an unnecessary expense. They'd rather pay any medical costs as they incur them, rather than include co-payments and insurance premiums into their budgets.

The Kaiser Family Foundation and The New York Times surveyed 1,204 Americans aged 18 to 64, to gather data on medical debt. They ran a shorter study of 1,371 Americans aged 18 to 64 who didn't have medical debt for comparison. The survey revealed that 26 percent of adults in the U.S. had trouble paying medical bills or knew someone who did. Fifty-three percent of uninsured Americans reported having problems paying medical bills, compared to 20 percent of insured Americans (2016). In addition to insurance status, factors that contributed to difficulty and inability to pay medical expenses included household income and health status.

Having health insurance can be beneficial if someone or a loved one has an accident or a medical emergency. Coverage may be a necessity in households where someone has a severe illness or ongoing health issues.

The best health insurance plans cover emergency care, any planned surgeries, prescriptions, and medical care in the event of a diagnosis of a chronic condition. You want to make sure you're covered if you suddenly find yourself searching for the best hearing aids, you need an emergency surgery or ongoing physical therapy. Essential factors that influence the insurance decisions someone makes include the out-of-pocket costs they'd be responsible for paying under a particular plan. Some people prefer policies with lower out-of-pocket costs, but higher premiums, while others prefer the opposite. Doing online and offline research can help someone find a suitable insurance plan.

While some people get health insurance through their employers, others don't. Those who don't receive employer-based coverage may shop on government insurance marketplaces. Other alternatives exist, such as those offered by Agile Health Insurance. People in need of health insurance or who want a new policy can get health insurance quotes for individuals from Agile Health Insurance. Agile Health Insurance provides individual and short-term coverage options. Short-term health insurance is an affordable solution for individuals and families in need of temporary coverage for medical crises, such as accidents, injuries, or illnesses. This option is beneficial for people who don't get coverage through their employers or want to pay lower insurance premiums and deductibles.

Individuals and families using short-term coverage can pay for services from any doctor or medical professional, and any hospital or medical facility. People can continue visiting their current physician and doctor's office if they have one. Someone who needs a regular healthcare provider for themselves and their families should seek a local medical group. Vanguard Medical Group is a high-quality option for residents of New Jersey. This medical group employs professionals who specialize in urgent care, women's health, family medicine, immunizations, and chronic conditions, and other areas.

When searching and comparing different insurance options, people should consider their family's financial and medical needs. Staying up to date on healthcare trends can help people make informed decisions that suit their lifestyles.