Which health insurance is right for me

If you're exploring health coverage options, this will help you understand whether an individual insurance plan is right for you. Health insurance you buy on your own—not through an employer or association—is called individual coverage. It could be right for you if you are:. If you don't have a plan through an employer, individual coverage is not only right, it's required for almost everyone by the Affordable Care Act. You might have to pay a penalty if you go without coverage.

Think you can't afford health insurance on your own? When you're shopping for plans, you'll be able to see if you qualify for lower costs. Many people do. Depending on your income and age, you may also be eligible for:. If the coverage your employer offers doesn't meet certain federal guidelines, you may be eligible to purchase individual insurance instead. Is there an annual out-of-pocket maximum? That's the most you have to pay each year for most of your covered services. When you reach the maximum, you do not have to pay most out-of-pocket costs, such as deductibles, copays and coinsurance, for the rest of the year.

It does not include your premiums. Is your current doctor or hospital in the plan's network? Be sure to check out your plan's list of providers to make sure there are doctors and hospitals conveniently located near you. And if you already have doctors or specialists you like, you may want to be sure they are on the list. How are doctor visits covered? If you go to the doctor often, you may want a plan that covers unlimited visits at a predictable cost.

If you don't go often, you should consider a plan that only covers a few visits a year. What kind of plan is it? Health maintenance organizations HMOs are often a more affordable and predictable option; however, you are required to access all non-emergency services through a provider network of physicians and hospitals.

Preferred provider organizations PPOs are frequently more expensive, but give you the freedom to access care outside of their network at a higher out-of-pocket cost. Does it include dental, vision or prescription drug coverage?

Not all plans include the same benefits. Make sure you take a look at the plan's coverage options to be sure it provides for the services you need.

Remember: health care is health care. Different health plans treat alternative therapies alternative medicine different ways. Oftentimes, there are additional perks and benefits that can really help you improve your health or save money. For example, will you have access to health coaches? Will you get a discount on your gym membership, or at the grocery store? Are there visits to a virtual clinic, like Virtuwell , at no cost to you? Dig into the options — you may find welcome some surprises.