The Layman's Guide to Affordable, Cheap Health Insurance
If you’re looking for affordable, cheap health insurance,
you could be in for a long search. Premiums are at record highs,
and over forty million Americans are without health insurance
because they can’t afford it. This puts them in a bind,
since medical expenses can come out of nowhere, and pile up lots
of debt. Many companies claim to offer cheap health insurance,
but it can be hard to tell whether this insurance is really a
bargain, or if the insurer is just trying to rip you off for whatever
they can get. If you’re looking for affordable health insurance
on a budget, you have a few options.
First, if you’re in a low income bracket, you can see if
your state has a program that you can qualify for. All states
have insurance programs that offer free or low cost insurance
to children. Fewer offer these services to adults, unless those
adults are over a certain age or are disabled. However, you might
be able to qualify for your state’s Medicaid or other public
health insurance program. These can cover anywhere from a portion
of your medical expenses to everything, depending on your circumstances
and income bracket. Many people who don’t believe that they
qualify for their state’s insurance programs actually do,
and aren’t taking advantage of these services out of ignorance.
Check with your state insurance board to find out if you qualify
for free or subsidized insurance.
If your income level is too high
for state insurance, but still not quite enough for you to be
happy paying the high premiums you have available now, you can
try searching on the Internet. Many companies maintain web pages
with free quotes and information about their insurance policies.
All kinds of insurance plans are available to you through the
Internet, and it’s the best
place to gather a lot of information in a very short period of
time. You’ll have to go through that information carefully
to find the best plan, since many companies try to hide expensive
add ons in plans that look cheap, or have low premiums because
they don’t cover very much. A professional insurance broker
can help you go through your prospective plans and tell you about
the companies and their reputations. If you’re planning
to be able to get group insurance through an employer soon, and
only need to be covered for a little while, you can fill the gap
with short term health insurance. This is the cheapest kind of
insurance available, because it covers less than more traditional
plans, but it serves as a good safety net in case of emergency.
Low cost, affordable, cheap health
insurance isn’t hard
to get if you’re willing to spend time looking. If you qualify
for government support, you can find inexpensive insurance through
your state. Otherwise, you’ll have to compare available
plans to find the lowest rate that fits your needs. Insurance
rates are high, but there are still some plans out there that
won’t break the bank.