Medical expenses are soaring high every passing day and it has become increasingly difficult for a commoner to identify the most practical and affordable medical insurance plan. Millions of people out there are struggling to find out affordable healthcare options.  If you do not have an affordable health coverage, there are high chances that you might miss on the medical and financial benefits you may gain from doing so.
Follow these five steps to make the best decision for all your medical requirements.

Identify your marketplace

Majority of the people get health coverage or insurance through an employer. If you have insurance through your employer, there is no need to utilize the marketplaces or government insurance exchanges. Your work can be described as your marketplace. However, if you still want to find an alternative plan in the exchanges, there are a lot of options available. You need to remember that the expenses of marketplace plans are always on the higher side. The least expensive option available is the insurance plans through employers. If your employer does not offer a health insurance benefit, you can search for the most affordable option available. Keep searching online for various options that will fit your bill. Compare different options before going forward to choose an insurance plan for yourself.

Draw comparisons

During the research phase, you will come across a lot of options that include POS, EPOs, PPOs and HMOs. When you compare various options, you must check the summary of benefits. Most online marketplaces offer a link to the summary and they display the price somewhere near the title of the plan. You must also go through the provider directory that gives details about the doctors and clinics associated with the plan’s network. The medical needs of your family must be assessed in a detailed manner while comparing different plans. You also have to take into consideration the amount and type of treatment you have already undergone in the past. It is practically impossible to forecast every medical emergencies and cost, but being aware of the trends will help you make a wise decision.

Never undermine the importance of comparing health plan networks

Expenses often come down when you visit an in-network doctor. Most companies charge lower rates with in-network providers whereas the price may shoot up otherwise. If you have your physician and are keen on visiting them; you must ensure that your preferred doctor is the provider for the plan you want to take up. Direct questions can be asked to the doctor whether they take a specific health plan. If you don’t have your own preferred doctors, your options get larger. It is always great to invest in a plan with a huge network of doctors. This will help you to choose the best from the options available. In such a situation, if a plan does not have local in-network doctors, you should be reconsidered the plan.

Compare your out-of-pocket costs

The network is an important aspect and the same importance must be given to the way expenses are shared. The benefits of the best plans mention the amount you will have to pay out of pocket for the services. While federal marketplace websites offer snapshots of these expenses for easy comparison, the state marketplaces reveal the exact expenses involved. To make good comparisons, you should have a fair idea on certain insurance keywords. The portion of the expense of a consumer comprises of the coinsurance, copayments and deductible. A deductible is the amount you pay before your plan picks up 100% of your health care costs whereas, coinsurance is a percent of costs of the coverage one has to pay after the deductible is paid. This may vary according to plan, with the least expensive carrying the highest deductible. Ideally, lower the premium, higher is the out-of-pocket expenses. Copayment is a fixed amount paid by an insured person each time a medical service is accessed by the provider.

Analyze the benefits

After having narrowed down your options, you must closely scrutinize the summary of benefits of the shortlisted affordable health coverage plans. This analysis helps you decide which plan covers a wider scope of services. Certain plans have emergency coverage while some may have better coverage for mental health care or physical therapy. This is a critical step as it always helps you select a plan that meets the exclusive needs of your family. This step allows you to narrow down your options further to a couple of options. If you have any queries, you can ask the customer service team of the trusted and renowned insurance provider, as they will clarify all your doubts with utmost precision.
With the help of these steps, you will surely find the best plan that will benefit you and your family towards a healthy lifestyle.