In almost every state, you have 4 main categories under which many different plans can fall. The first is "Obamacare", also known as the ACA (Affordable Care Act) or "the Marketplace". The second is Health Underwritten. This is how healthcare used to be done outside of the workplace. The third is Guaranteed Issue, and the fourth is Short Term medical insurance (which can be up to 36 months depending in which state you currently live).

The Marketplace is a site where providers like Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Cigna, Ambetter, Bright, etc. can place healthcare insurance plan options for purchase. Some states have their own exchange/marketplace for health insurance or are part of the federal exchange These options are offered to all US citizens. Depending on an individual’s income, one also can receive a monthly tax credit which could dramatically lower the cost of your healthcare insurance. How much these plans cost and provider availability are based on criteria such as zip code, age, and income. This means plans could cost you as low as $10, but this is not always the case. Lastly, these plans are available for all people no matter your medical history or pre-existing conditions.

Our company can help you navigate the Federal Marketplace exchange found at healthcare.gov. We also use and can navigate several state exchanges. We have a partnership with HealthSherpa that aides us in our search for the right healthcare.gov plan for you.

Just like there are health insurance plans that allow for a lower monthly premium, there are plans available that review your health. With medical information readily available online through the MIB (Medical Information Bureau) or Intelliscript, health underwritten applications are usually done by answering a few medical questions instead of a cumbersome exam. If you have to pay full price for an ACA plan, medically underwritten insurance can be a great option to lower your healthcare cost without compromising on quality.

If you find yourself outside of Open Enrollment for Obamacare and you have a pre-existing condition, health insurance can be hard to find. Guaranteed Issue plans allow you to get limited or extensive healthcare coverage even if you have a medical illness or injury that prohibits you from being underwritten by an insurance company. A pre-existing condition is considered any medical condition that was known before insurance was obtained. The most important aspect of these plans is that they offer indemnity coverage. This means that they offer a specific amount of coverage and once that limit is met, there is no further coverage. In other words, your exposure is NOT limited.

Health insurance networks are extremely important. If you find an extremely low cost insurance plan, but there are no doctors in the network, then the insurance is practically worthless. Each provider (United Healthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Ambetter, Bright, etc) have networks of doctors. Those networks fall under different types: PPO, HMO, and EPO. The PPO or preferred provider options usually offers the widest coverage and usually extends across the United States. The HMO or health maintenance organization can extend outside the state, but this network's most important characteristic is that you need a referral. The EPO or exclusive provider organization works like a PPO with a wide network of doctors, but the network is limited to county or state. We can offer all three different types of networks, but by far, our most desired is the PPO.NEED PPO ASAP