Affordable Care Act: How to find good info about options

“I am a self-employed person. How can I make the most informed decision about medical insurance policies?  Are there any no-bullshit resources I can use to educate myself?”

Just The Facts Ma’am

 Dear Just The Facts Ma’am,

In theory, the exchanges should be showing you apples-to-apples comparisons of the various plan options. There is a set format for the descriptions. Whether you find this easy to follow and apply to your personal situation is another matter.

The exchanges have staff people trained to help you understand the plans, and to help you enroll. These people are not professionally licensed and will not make any a recommendation about which plan is best for you.  This will work well for you, if you feel comfortable making the final decision yourself.

You can consult an insurance agent, though the agent may have a bias in favor of one plan over another. It’s not so much that the agent would give you bad information; they would risk losing their professional license if they did. It’s more a matter of finding an agent whom you trust.

Linda Riddell

About Linda Riddell

A published author and health policy analyst with 25 years’ experience, Linda Riddell's goal is to alleviate the widespread ailment of not knowing what your health plan can do for you.