Health Insurance Basics
Learn the basics about health insurance including open enrollment period, rate factors, the different kinds of health insurance, and how to shop for it and get the best deal
-
Everything You Need to Know to Apply for Health InsuranceLooking to enroll in a new individual or family health insurance plan? Don’t submit an application for health insurance until you read this!
-
COBRA Insurance: What You Need to Know to Keep Health Insurance CoverageImportant facts and information about COBRA health insurance: How much it costs, who can get it, what's covered, and how long you can keep it.
-
Health Insurance Rate FactorsHealth insurance premiums can be quite different from person to person, even for identical plans. Find out why, and how you might be able to lower your rates.
-
10 Common Health Insurance MistakesLearn how to avoid 10 common but costly mistakes people often make while shopping for health insurance coverage.
-
Health Insurance for ChildrenHere are the main options available to you if you’re a parent looking to obtain health insurance for one or more of your children.
-
11 Questions That Will Help You Pick the Right Health Insurance PlanNot sure how to choose a health insurance plan that’s right for you? We can help.
-
Which Type of Health Insurance Plan is Right for You?Looking for health insurance but don’t know an indemnity plan from a Preferred Provider Organization? We’ve got you covered.
-
11 Things to Consider Before You Buy Cancer InsuranceFind out whether cancer insurance makes sense for you and which companies sell it. You'll also learn how to avoid the pitfalls of cancer health insurance policies.
-
Health Insurance Open Enrollment TipsFeeling overwhelmed about the Obamacare open enrollment period that begins on Nov. 1? Here are 10 tips that will help you choose the health insurance plan that’s perfect for your needs and budget.
-
The Best Affordable Health Insurance for College StudentsIf you are, or are going to be a college student, you have many options when it comes to getting health insurance coverage while keeping costs low.
-
How to Appeal a Health Insurance Claim DenialWas your health insurance claim denied? Here are the steps you should take if your health insurance company denies your claim.
-
Long-Term Care Insurance BasicsLong-term care is expensive, and this type of insurance can help you pay for some or all of the services provided by long–term care.
-
Health Insurance and Senior CitizensSeniors have more options when it comes to obtaining health insurance than any other segment of the population. Here’s some information about, and expert advice for, each of them.
-
Long-Term Care Insurance FAQDon't buy long-term care insurance until you read these answers to the most frequently asked questions about long-term care insurance.
-
Your Guide to Alternative Medicine and Health InsuranceMany patients want alternative health care, but getting insurance coverage can be tough. Here's what you need to know to get the most out of your health insurance.
-
HMO vs. PPO: What do those letters mean?Learn the difference between HMO and PPO health plans and which one could be the right choice for you and your family
-
How to Find out What Your Health Insurance Plan CoversBefore you go to the doctor for any reason or face the possible need for a medical procedure or treatment, one of your first questions is probably “Will my health insurance cover this?” Answering that question isn’t always easy. Health insurance is complicated and the jargon used can seem like gobbledygook.
-
What’s a Health Savings Account (HSA)? Do I need one?People with high deductible health insurance plans can enroll in a health savings account (HSA) to help pay for their medical expenses.
-
Health Insurance Options for Small Business OwnersFor small business owners, purchasing health insurance for your employees can feel like a full-time job. But it's an important part of running a successful business, and it's not as difficult as it seems.
-
Cadillac vs. Catastrophic Health Insurance PlansAlthough both of these types of health policies begin with a "c," that's nearly all they have in common. Keep reading to learn more about them how they differ from each other.
-
Picking the Right Plan When Both Spouses Have Employer-Sponsored Health InsuranceDo you and your spouse both qualify for health insurance through your employers? If so, you might have a hard time deciding which plan to use
-
Will my Health Insurance Cover Substance Abuse Treatment?Substance abuse is a serious issue that affects many Americans. Fortunately, getting insurance to cover the costs of substance abuse treatment is becoming easier than ever.
-
How can I get health insurance if I'm a part-time employee?Here are your options if your job doesn't provide health insurance coverage.
-
What Kinds of Mental Health Care Does Health Insurance Cover?Today's health insurance plans do a better job than ever of covering mental health services and treatments. Here's why and how they provide that coverage.
-
Understanding Explanation of Benefits (EOB) StatementsYou know that Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statement your health insurance company sends out after you visit a doctor, clinic, or hospital? Here's how you can make sense of all the information included on it.
-
Does Health Insurance Cover Your Medical Care When You Travel Abroad?Getting ready to go on an international vacation or trip? Make sure you know what your health plan will or won't cover if you visit a doctor or hospital abroad before you leave.
-
Everything You Need to Know about Travel Medical and Emergency Medical Evacuation InsuranceConsider buying either Travel Medical, Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance, or both of these products if you want to be covered while traveling outside the U.S.
-
Does My Health Insurance Cover Weight-Loss Treatments?Millions of Americans are overweight and even obese. That means millions of people in the U.S. need to lose weight. Here's all you need to know about whether or not your health plan covers various weight-loss treatments and services.
-
Does My Health Insurance Cover Physical Therapy?There's no question physical therapy helps millions of people relieve pain, restore function, and improve mobility each year. That doesn't mean health insurance always covers its costs, unfortunately. Here's all you need to know about how these plans treat--or don't treat--this kind of care.
-
Does Health Insurance Cover Alzheimer's and Dementia Care?Experts expect the number of people living with some type of dementia to skyrocket in the coming years. Will health insurance or Medicare cover all the related costs if you're one of them? It depends on the plan, your financial situation, and more.
-
What is the Health Insurance Subsidy and How Do I Qualify for It?As long as Obamacare continues to exist, you can save money on health insurance coverage via premium tax credits if you meet certain criteria. Here's everything you need to know about these important subsidies.
-
Health Insurance and Infertility Treatment Coverage
You're mostly out of luck if you get health coverage through the federal marketplace, Medicare, or Medicaid. If you get it through an employer, though, it may just help you pay for this often-pricey medical care.
-
Everything You Need to Know About Child-Only Health InsuranceChild-only health insurance might seem strange, but a lot of youths need it. Here's everything you need to know about these plans to get the best coverage for the best price. (If you have to pay for it at all.)
-
Health Insurance and Abortion Coverage: Do Health Plans Pay for an Abortion?Where you live has a lot to do with whether or not you have access to health plans that cover abortion. Also important: whether you get insurance through a job, the federal and state marketplaces, or programs like Medicaid and Medicare.
-
Will My Health Insurance Pay for My Prescription Drugs and Medications?Although most U.S. health plans cover medications, they don't always do so in the same ways or to the same extent. Here's everything you need to know about how different health insurance plan types deal with prescription drugs.
-
Health Insurance and Preventive CareHere's everything you need to know about how different health plans cover--or don't cover--various forms of preventative health care.
-
Will My Health Insurance Pay For Prosthetics?Millions of Americans need artificial body parts to lead active lives. Most health plans pay at least some of the related costs, but that's not the whole story. Here's all you need to know about how insurance covers prosthetic devices.
-
Which Medical Treatments Are Covered By Health Insurance?
From mental health care to physical therapy, not all plans are created equal. Find out which treatments are covered by your health insurance plan and which are not.
-
How to Pick a Health Insurance Plan
Here's everything you need to know about the different types of plans you're likely to come across as you shop for health insurance.
-
How Much Does Health Insurance Cost?What you pay for health coverage depends on many factors. Find out how much health insurance costs and how you can pay less!
-
Will my health insurance cover flu shots and vaccinations?Immunizations do more than keep people healthy. They also keep people alive. That isn't the only reason insurance usually covers them, but it is a big one. Here's all you need to know about health plans, shots, and vaccines.
-
Health Insurance: When to Use the ER and When to Use Urgent CareGoing to the ER for medical care is expensive. Yet millions of Americans do it every year. Here's why that is--and why you should go to an urgent care center or a doctor if your illness or injury isn't an emergency.
-
Maternity Health Insurance Coverage During Pregnancy
For many people, giving birth is the single most important yet expensive healthcare event in their lives. Having proper health insurance and maternity coverage is vital for expectant mothers.
-
How to Choose the Best Health Insurance Plan for Your PregnancyIf you're going to have a baby, you need health insurance. But what kind of plan best covers all of the costs of pregnancy? And how can you get that coverage if you don't already have it? Here's all you need to know to get the best health plan for your pregnancy.
-
What Does Health Insurance Cover After Pregnancy?You probably already know that most U.S. health plans cover a lot of prenatal care. But did you know they cover a lot of postnatal care, too? Here's all you need to know about the many services and treatments insurance usually covers after you have a baby.
-
Expected Pregnancy Costs and How Health Insurance Covers (and Sometimes Doesn't Cover) ThemHaving a baby can be expensive--even if everything goes as planned. Here's how much various components of a "typical" pregnancy tend to cost and how your health plan is likely to cover (or not cover) them.
-
Unexpected Pregnancy Costs and How Health Insurance Covers (or Doesn't Cover) ThemHaving a baby is stressful and expensive enough without throwing unexpected costs and issues into the mix. Thankfully, U.S. health plans cover quite a few of them.
-
Alternative Birth Options and Health Insurance CoverageAlthough most women in the U.S. deliver babies in a hospital, that's far from their only option these days. They don't have to rely on doctors or obstetricians either. Doulas and midwives are increasingly common, as are birthing centers as well as home and water births. Here's how health plans tend to treat them.
-
Does My Health Insurance Plan Cover Dental Care?Here is everything you need to know about how various kinds of U.S. health plans tend to cover--or, in many cases, not cover--dental care.
-
Short-Term Health InsuranceWhich medical services do these temporary health plans cover? What don't they cover? How much do they cost? Who should and shouldn't buy them? Here are answers to those questions and more.
-
Low-Cost Health Insurance
Health insurance isn't known for being overly cheap, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to find affordable plans that will properly cover you and your loved ones. Here are a number of options to consider.
-
Health Insurance and Eye Care CoverageMuch like dental and hearing care, standard health plans in the U.S. rarely cover vision care. Why is that the case? And what other insurance options are available to Americans who want to cut their eye-care costs? Keep reading for answers to both questions and many more.
-
Health Insurance and Birth Control or ContraceptivesWomen (and men) who want or need to use birth control have a ton of options these days. But do U.S. health plans usually cover those contraceptives? You’ll find answers to that question and many others in this article.
-
Does Health Insurance Cover Hearing Aids and Hearing Tests?Hearing loss is a fact of life for millions of Americans, yet U.S. health insurance plans provide spotty coverage for hearing tests, hearing aids, and the like. Here's all you need to know about why that is and what you can do about it.
-
Does Health Insurance Cover Therapy or Counseling?Millions of Americans seek professional help for mental health issues every year. Many others could benefit from doing the same, but don’t for various reasons. Can health insurance help cover some or even all of these costs?
-
Understanding Health Insurance Deductibles and Out-of-Pocket MaximumsAlong with copayments and coinsurance, these are two of the most basic components of a health insurance plan. What are the differences between deductibles and out-of-pocket limits?
-
Does Health Insurance Cover Medical Alert Systems?What are medical alert systems? How do they work? Who needs them? Who sells them? How much do they cost? And, perhaps most importantly, does health insurance cover them? You’ll answers to those questions and others here.
-
Health Insurance for People with DisabilitiesIf you have a disability, having good health insurance is a must. Find out what insurance covers disabilities, and how you can get covered.
-
Doulas and Health InsuranceDoulas are becoming a more common part of American childbirth. Read on to learn more about doulas, what they do, and whether your health insurance covers them.
-
Health Insurance and Essential Oil AromatherapyThe history of essential oils dates back thousands of years. But does health insurance cover those treatments? You’ll learn about that and more here.
-
Health Insurance Plans for Individuals
Individuals have more options than ever when it comes to getting health insurance away from a job. But which individual health insurance plans are the best in this kind of situation? And where can you buy them?
-
Does Health Insurance Cover Sleep Disorders?Many people have trouble one of several well-known sleep disorders. Here’s what you need to know about how health insurance covers sleep disorders
-
Health Insurance and Tax Deduction ClaimsHealth insurance is expensive. You can make it less so, though, if you deduct some of what you spend on it from your taxes. Here’s all you need to know about when you can and can’t write off health insurance expenses as well as how you can do so.
-
Health Insurance and Sports MedicineIf you’re injured doing something athletic, you may have to see a sports medicine specialist for treatment. But will health insurance cover the initial visit and any resulting care? It depends on your policy and even on your injury, as you’ll learn in this article.
-
Health Insurance for People with AsthmaAsthma can be a complicated condition to treat and manage. And those complications often make living with the chronic disease expensive. Health insurance provides some relief, but only if you have the right plan. Here’s all you need to know about how various US health plans do and don’t cover asthma care.
-
Does Health Insurance Cover Cosmetic Surgery?Millions of Americans go under the knife every year to enhance their appearance in one way or another. Does health insurance cover those procedures?
-
Does Health Insurance Cover Chiropractors and Chiropractic Care?Do you have some form of health coverage? Do you need chiropractic care? If your answer to both of those questions is "yes," you may be in luck. Most health insurance plans pay at least some of the costs of these treatments.
-
Does Health Insurance Cover Occupational Therapy?Occupational therapy helps people regain life skills lost through injury or illness. So, health insurance should cover it, right? Yes, most health plans do cover it – but how they do so can vary widely.
-
Does Health Insurance Cover Medical Marijuana?The sad and simple truth: no, it won’t. Not yet, at least. This article explores health insurance, medical marijuana, and what the future looks like.
-
Health Insurance Special Enrollment Periods and Qualifying Life EventsDid you miss buying health insurance during the yearly open enrollment period? You can still get coverage during a special enrollment period. To qualify for one, you need a “change in situation.” Here’s what that means and what you can do about it.
-
Health Insurance and Orthotics CoverageMillions of people rely on orthotics to lead active, pain-free lives. Although some health plans will help you pay for these braces, supports, and other devices, many will not. Here's all you need to know about how, when, and why insurance does and doesn’t cover orthotics.
-
Health Insurance for People with DiabetesMost health plans now cover this common disease to some degree. But what should you consider while buying health insurance if you have diabetes? You’ll learn about that and more.
-
Health Insurance for People with Pre-existing ConditionsBy law, most health insurance plans have to cover people with pre-existing conditions. But which plans are the best? Which ones are the worst? And which ones don’t have to cover those conditions? You’ll find answers to all these questions and more here.
-
Why is My Health Insurance So Expensive?Americans pay a lot of money for health care. Why is that? What causes insurance to cost so much? And what can you do to combat your sky-high bills? This article answers all those questions and more.