It is essential that you seek out Alabama Health Insurance that is right for you and that you do all due diligence before buying a policy.
Unlike most other types of insurance, health insurance is a very emotive issue and because of the enormous amount that it costs Americans every year it has also become very much of a political issue.
The best type of Alabama Health Insurance to buy is very much going to depend on a variety of factors, including:
- Your Age
- Your Employment Status (Employed, Self Employed, Unemployed or Student for example)
- Whether or not there is an Alabama Group Health Insurance policy that you can participate in as a staff member at your firm.
- How long you have been unemployed (if indeed you are)
Let’s take a look at the typical scenario of a college student to illustrate some of the options that are available In Alabama.
1/ Aged 18 to 25 and a Full-Time College Student
There are four main paths that you can take if you are currently a full-time student and are looking to get some Alabama Health Insurance Cover.
First, you could stay on your parents insurance...
This is the cheapest option, because it is up to your parents when they choose to terminate you from their health insurance. Typically they can class you under ‘Dependent Care Coverage’ up until the age of 25 on some policies (less on others, so check) and this can usually be extended until the fall following your graduation from college.
You need to make sure if you go this route that the insurance will cover you in the state of the college where you will be attending, and also any age restrictions that may apply.
Second, you could take out Student Health Insurance...
This is a more expensive option then staying on your parents policy, but does have the advantage of being totally under your control.
This is commonly offered by most colleges so that all of their students at least have minimal health cover. But often these policies are quite lightweight in the treatments that they will cover you for, and the terms and conditions can often hide exclusions such as not covering you during vacations, or not covering visits to the emergency room without prior approval.
This can be a good option, but you need to take care to make sure that it meets all your needs.
Third, you could take out COBRA Health Insurance (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act)...
This can often work well for slightly older students who are approaching the upper age limits of 25 to be on their parent’s policy. At this stage the employers of your parents may offer you coverage under COBRA, which would mean that you are able to extend your cover for a further three years (potentially up to 28 years old).
They are allowed to charge 100% of the cost of the premiums and a 2% admin charge, so this can be a more expensive option, but are still likely to be cheaper than taking out individual Alabama Health Insurance if you have pre-existing medical conditions.
Fourth, you could take out an Individual Alabama Health Insurance Policy...
This is likely to be the most expensive option, but does have the benefit of the greatest degree of flexibility.
Also, if you suffer from a pre-existing condition and cannot get cover under any of the other options then you should still be able to get cover under an individual health policy.
It is also possible that an individual health plan can cost less than the COBRA option, depending on the options that you choose, and this can particularly be true if you have no pre-existing medical conditions and are in relatively good shape.
Naturally, there are all kinds of scenarios that could be played out with regards to health insurance.
If you are currently employed then it is often a good idea to first check out your company’s health scheme, because that can often be the cheapest option. But if that is not available then depending on your age COBRA may also be an option.
If you are a little older then checking out what Individual Alabama Health Insurance Plans are available is a good first step, by getting some quotes to get an idea of what you might expect to pay for cover.
