Whether you are self-employed, unemployed, or covered through your employer’s health plan, finding cheap health insurance in the United States can be a frustrating and time-consuming process. Add the controversy over the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and finding accurate and reliable information can become a problem.
Sure, there is cheap health insurance, but qualifying is also difficult, and you need to make sure the coverage is not too scant to meet your needs. Therefore, we will explain how to find cheap health insurance in the United States, and also list out places you can get medical service at the lowest cost.
Health insurance can be expensive, but before you decide to go without it, take a good look at the risks. For example, according to WebMD, there’s a 1 in 5 chance you’ll end up in an emergency room if you’re between the ages of 25 and 44, a stay that could cost you as much as $1,450 per person. If you need surgery on a broken arm, you could have to pay more than $16,000 out of pocket if you don’t have insurance.
It’s probably a myth that medical bills are the leading cause of home bankruptcies. However, everyone agrees that if you are in too much financial debt, and you also have a huge medical expense, you will be in big trouble.
How to find cheap health insurance in the United States?
It is illegal for providers to charge different prices for the same health plans. So finding low-cost health insurance is more about making sure you’ve evaluated all your options from the widest range of providers possible. It is also important that you know what your needs are before you buy.
Remember that the cheapest plans often offer the least coverage and only you can decide if it’s worth saving a few bucks.
Although convenient, the state exchanges established through the ACA are not your only avenues for finding cheap health insurance in the United States. You have other options, and you have nothing to lose (except money) by checking out one or all of them. Insurers may have a wider range of policies available on their websites than we find on state exchanges. Most will allow you to directly compare plan details, view more detailed information, and apply online.
An insurance agent might be a good option if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the decision and think you need expert help to get the right health insurance.
Be wary of short-term plans. Short-term or temporary health insurance plans, which usually last three months but can be renewed, are probably the cheapest option of all. How cheap? At Health Insurance, they advertise plans for as low as $75 a month. You can even get short-term plans at HealthInsurance for as low as $77.80 a month. But before you get too excited, read on.
There are many limitations to short-term plans, and these plans have many critics. Although they may be your cheapest option, they won’t be low-cost long-term health insurance, you may end up spending a lot more than you bargained for, and experts don’t recommend them except as a last resort.
So you know how to go about finding low-cost health insurance. How about hospitals offering medical services at a relatively low price?
Medical Centers offering Medical Services at Low-Cost
K Health
- $14 for one appointment with 2 weeks open for questions and follow-up.
- $39 per year for unlimited appointments.
- Can use with or without insurance.
Cove
- $4 monthly subscription fee.
- Migraine-specific help.
- Not for other medical issues.
- Can get prescriptions.
GoodRx
- Medication discounts up to 80%.
- Lists the after-discount cost of all local pharmacies. Some are cheaper than others.
- Use discount coupons when you pick up your prescriptions from your pharmacy.
- Free service. No subscription is needed.