What Are Some Affordable Family Health Insurance Options?
Health insurance for your family can actually be more affordable than you think. But not every plan costs the same — that's why it's best to compare benefits and rates to find the plan that's right for your budget.
Managed care plans are popular choices for
affordable family health insurance. They create networks of doctors, hospitals, clinics, specialists, and other health care professionals — all who provide their medical services at discounted rates. For you and your family, that means lower health plan costs — including more affordable premiums, copayments, and coinsurance.
What are the most common kinds of managed care plans?
* PPOs (Preferred Provider Organization). The PPO plan provides flexible coverage. You and your family will save money when going to a preferred in-network physician, but you'll also have coverage with out-of-network doctors. For comprehensive, flexible, and affordable coverage, the PPO is a popular choice for family health insurance.
* HMOs (Health Maintenance Organization). The HMO is one of the most affordable kinds of managed care — and another common
family health insurance choice. Copayments can be as low as $10, and many HMOs don't require a deductible. You choose a primary care physician from your HMO network, and they'll be the first doctor you go to for care. If you or a family member needs specialist care, your primary care physician will need to give you a referral. The only downside to HMO plans is that you can only receive care from providers who participate in-network — services are not covered outside the HMO network.
* POS (Point Of Service) Plans. The POS plan combines elements of an HMO and PPO together. Like an HMO, you'll choose a primary care physician from the preferred network as your "first line of defense" doctor. Like a PPO, you'll have coverage with any health care provider — inside or outside of the network.
On kind of health plan that's not optimal for
family health insurance is a traditional FFS (Fee-For-Service) plan. FFS plans aren't managed care, and don't work with any health care provider networks.
On one hand, FFS plans might seem attractive — you have equal coverage with all doctors and hospitals, and most health care services are covered. But for families, they're not the optimal choice. FFS plans are the most expensive kind of health insurance, and many don't provide coverage for preventive care.
Consider a managed care family health insurance plan before traditional FFS coverage.
Individual vs. Family Coverage
For complete
family health insurance, you have a few basic coverage options. The managed care plans above can be tailored to your family's needs — for customized coverage or basic protection.
Individual plans for every family member.
This is the best family health insurance option for families whose members have different health needs. If a member has a chronic illness such as diabetes or asthma, individual plans could be the most cost-effective way to go.
Because insurance companies set rates according to health, a pre-existing condition could drive premiums up for everyone. But with individual plans, family members who don't need frequent medical care are on separate plans — and can keep low rates.
Cover everyone with your individual plan.
Some insurance companies will allow you to add family members under your individual coverage. If your family needs coverage for routine and emergency care, this is a good option to consider. Covering everyone with one individual family health insurance plan is usually most affordable if everyone has similar health needs.
Get expert advice from a professional agent to see which family health insurance option is best for you and your family. It's easy to add your family to your quotes — you just need to enter their gender, date of birth, height, and weight.
Preventive Care: It's Extra-Important For Children
Health insurance gives you peace of mind that your children will always have access to health care. But it's also important to make sure they go in for regular doctor check-ups and booster shots to make sure they grow up strong.
That's why coverage for preventive care is vital to ensure your children stay healthy. Health insurance makes the preventive care they need affordable — and can catch early signs of illness before they turn into serious conditions.
Most managed care family health insurance plans provide coverage for preventive care such as:
* Routine doctor's check-ups
* Physicals
* Immunizations and vaccinations
* Well-baby care
With managed care plans, visits to the doctor, prescription drugs, and wellness care can cost as low as $10. Some
family health insurance plan, such as HMOs, even provide many preventive care services for no extra cost.
Preventive care is very important for children, but it's also important for everyone else! Having coverage for routine doctor's check ups and physicals is a good idea so you can always stay on top of your health.
Also remember that if you are planning on starting a family or adding another member to the family in the near future, you should make sure that the family health insurance plan you choose includes maternity care. This will make your plan a bit more expensive, but the coverage during pregnancy to ensure the health of both the child and the mother is invaluable.
Finding the Right Health Plan For Your Family
Now that you've learned a little bit about
family health insurance, we can help you find the right coverage.
Connect with professional agents for expert advice — absolutely free. Our online service at GoHealthInsurance.com will provide you with free quotes from agents representing the top names in health insurance. Just fill out our secure form — it's 100% risk-free and you have no obligation to buy anything.
Take advantage of our agents' expert advice, and get the family health insurance plan you've been looking for.
