How To Find Affordable Health Insurance

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Use these tips to find a health plan that meets your needs and your budget.

To complete this How-To you will need:

Research
A high deductible
A health savings account (optional)

Step 1: Check state laws

Become familiar with the health insurance laws in your state. Type the name of your state and "health insurance laws" into a search engine to find the appropriate government web site.

Step 2: Check out group rates

Check out policies that trade associations offer; they often have lower rates. But make sure you're contacting a reputable trade group. Some lure in members with low premiums that jump up in a year or two.

Tip: If you're self-employed, see if your state offers group rates to businesses with just a few employees.

Step 3: Comparison shop

Comparison shop either on your own or with the help of a health insurance broker. Locate the latter through nahu.org.

Step 4: Read the fine print

Buyer beware: Some policies offer only "limited benefits," a distinction that's not apparent unless you read the fine print.

Tip: Three-quarters of Americans who are pushed into personal bankruptcy by medical problems had health insurance.

Step 5: Go for a high deductible

Consider a high deductible. Depending on the size of your family and your medical situation, it may be cheaper to hold health insurance primarily for a catastrophic illness or injury rather than for regular office visits.

Tip: Find out if you can open a health savings account, which lets you put money in an interest-bearing account that can be withdrawn, tax-free, for medical expenses your insurance doesn't cover.

Step 6: Protect your children

Protect your children by calling 1-877-KIDS-NOW for information on low-cost -- or even free -- health insurance for children 18 years and younger. Each state has its own program for low-income families, and eligibility rules vary.

Step 7: Look into Medicaid

If your income is very low, find out if you're eligible for Medicaid by contacting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Step 8: Apply for Medicare

If you're 65 years or older, apply for the federal health insurance program known as Medicare by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.

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Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• HealthBeauty
• finding
• getting
• health
• insurance
• cheap
• affordable
• plan
• budget
• money
• saving
• cheaper

[BenjaminKatzVideos]

3 quarters of the people who are pushed into bankruptcy by medical problems had health insurance!? Wow... seriously what an embarrassing statistic, given that over 60% of bankruptcies in the US are because of medical issues in the first place.... AND PEOPLE ARE STILL FIGHTING UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IN THIS COUNTRY!??? Seriously I don't even know what to think sometimes.

[crapwithoutrap]

Haha sucks to live in america ^^

[hauskalainen]

Step 1 Move to Europe

err... that's it

[dimviesel]

@Torchic956 healthcare may be free but how good are canadian doctors? are they happy with their pay or do they dread working. i cant have some miserable underpaid doctor working on me or my family. a well paid doctor is a happy one. im gonna do more research on canadian healthcare statistics. i have heard nothing but good things so far

[Torchic956]

Health Care is free here in Canada! So get off your butt and move up here if you want cheap Health Care!

[ringmaster1209]

move to canada?

[gamewarrior2216]

I thought the answer was move to Mexico.

[chuck1norris23]

just go to healthcompare's website... easy

[chuck1norris23]

Just go to the website healthcompare... easy stuff

[titosuave21]

@teo829 Yeah the only problem with Universal health care is taxes. Sigh I hate our govt. I love this country but our govt sucks.

[teo829]

Universal health care isn't free as funds will be extracted through MORE taxes.. I like the idea of a universal health care system but how the gov't will operate to make it possible is insane.

[XxNitroGlitchxX]

Walk in clinic?