Upon the announcement of the Affordable Care Act, some believed that they didn?t have to worry about health insurance like they once did, and that they would automatically be covered for virtually everything health-related. This is not the case; for example, the Affordable Care Act does not cover vision insurance for people 19 years old or older, despite the fact that two out of three Americans have vision problems. So ? with all of the misinformation out there, what are the realities of health insurance, and what should you ask a health insurance agency about?
Who Has Health Insurance?
It?s often believed that between employee benefits, individual insurance, and the Affordable Care Act, that everyone has health insurance. Even those with jobs are left uninsured at times, with two in five Americans under 65 actually having employee-based insurance. It?s true that the status of health insurance in America is constantly changing at the moment; as of January 1, 2016 companies with 50 employees or more will be required to give 95% of their employees health insurance coverage. But what of the other 5%? And what about companies with fewer than 50 employees? If you do have health insurance, it?s important to speak to your health insurance agency about what your plan actually covers, and the options available if you?re unsatisfied with your employee benefits service.
What Is A Health Insurance Exchange?
A health insurance exchange is essentially a marketplace which facilitate the purchase of health insurance in each state in as mandated by the Affordable Care Act. If unsatisfied with the care your health insurance agency provides, you may want to look into what the health insurance exchange offers up for your state. The plans provided by health insurances exchanges are broken down into four categories: the highest priced plans with the lowest deductibles are platinum; then there are gold and silver plans, and the bronze plans which have the lowest prices and the highest deductibles.
What Are Americans Spending Now?
If you haven?t spoken to a health insurance advisor yet, here are a few things you might want to know about what people pay for health insurance right now. Americans without health insurance ? provided through employee benefits, bought through an individual health insurance agency or otherwise ? are required to pay $325 per person or 2% of an individual?s yearly income, depending on which is greater. Then, without dental insurance, Americans pay about $200 per year for dental care alone.
There are many good health insurance plans available ? often provided alongside life insurance or other types of insurance. You can?t do without it, unless you wish to risk spending ? potentially ? years paying off medical bills. The most important thing to do is consider your options and choose the plan that?s best for you. Luckily, that?s more possible now than ever.