Advice on health insurance options – go to a broker

I need some advice on health insurance. I am trying to find good health coverage, company and deductibles, copays and all I get is confused on understanding it.  I must find a good plan for two adults and one five year old.

Seeker

Dear Seeker,

There are plenty of sources of information about your health insurance options online. Healthcare.gov is the gateway to your state’s health insurance exchange, which is open to you if you do not have an employer plan available to you.

There, you can see your options and, after you give your family and income information, your monthly costs.  There is also a glossary of terms to describe deductible, copay, and other lingo.

You used the word “advice”, however and that’s a different question.  If you want advice about which plan is the best one for your circumstances, you need an insurance broker.  The navigators and enrollment specialists cannot give you that kind of advice; they can only help you understand the plans and subsidies.

You do not need to have a certain income to work with an insurance broker.  He or she will be paid by the insurance plan you choose; you do not pay directly for the service.  You can find an insurance broker from the National Association of Health Underwriters online directory or by asking friends.

Keep in mind that you can join a plan during open enrollment or when you have had a life change during the year (such as losing a job, getting married, etc.).  Open enrollment for January 1, 2015 starts in November.

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.