How to Buy Health Insurance Safely

Nov 1, 2019

On Nov. 1, HealthCare.gov started its annual enrollment period for health insurance. If you don’t have health insurance, or you just need to renew your plan, make sure to review your health plan options before open enrollment ends on Dec. 15.
Some health plans may deny coverage for pre-existing conditions or don’t cover mental health care, but there is a way to play it safe and ensure you have mental health coverage in 2020. 
 
Start at HealthCare.gov. All health plans on HealthCare.gov must cover mental health and substance use services at the same level as other health conditions.
 
Some plans on HealthCare.gov offer better options than others, so review the plans carefully. Additionally, 7 out of 10 people who sign up on HealthCare.gov qualify for financial help (finding plans with monthly premiums at $75 or less).

How should you choose your health plan?

Whether choosing insurance for the first time or reevaluating your current plan, keep these factors in mind:

• Affordability. Compare monthly premiums, deductibles, co-pays and/or co-insurance to make sure you have selected the best option for your health insurance needs. Consider not only how much you will pay each month in premiums, but also how much you will pay in co-pays and co-insurance when you use services. 

• Availability of mental health professionals. Check to see if your mental health professional(s) and other health care providers are in a health plan’s network. If they are not, find out if the insurance plan will pay for out-of-network providers — and how much they will cover. 

• Coverage of prescription medications. Find a plan that covers any medication(s) you need to maintain your wellness. 

• Limits on mental health office visits. Check to see if a plan will cover the number of therapy visits you may need. You may also need to consider differences in inpatient and outpatient coverage.

Take action by Dec. 15. Don’t risk not having health and mental health coverage in 2020. 
 
Signing up for new coverage or renewing your plan takes as little as 10 minutes. Buy safely and get started now by going to HealthCare.gov.