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It is common knowledge that America has the most expensive healthcare system worldwide. Therefore, it is advisable to take out health insurance as protection against these high medical costs. However, health insurance in America is equally expensive. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimated that the average annual cost of health insurance in the US was $7,470 and $21,342 for individuals and families, respectively, as of July 2020. Luckily, there is a lot you can do to spend less on health insurance. Below are some of the effective ways to save money on health insurance.
Get help from a health insurance broker
Government regulations have helped several Americans get the right coverage since the marketplace began. It is estimated that the Affordable Care Act has given approximately 14.5 million Americans the chance to obtain health coverage this year. However, the marketplace may not always have the best prices, and it can be incredibly tough to navigate and compare options. It is equally challenging to buy your health insurance as an individual. Thankfully, a broker can help you compare the benefits and costs of various health insurance plans to discover one that provides the ideal coverage at the most affordable price. Getting help from a broker might be the best way to work within a tight budget without shopping or doing all the work alone. Brokers work for many companies, so it is in their best interest to find the best deal for you since most of them earn their cash through commissions.
Compare various healthcare services
Shopping around is one of the most effective ways to pay less money when seeking a product or service, and searching for affordable health insurance is no exception. Doctors and medical service centers charge different rates, so you can pay less money by intentionally seeking out more affordable care. For instance, if you have a serious heart condition like arrhythmia, you might pay more to receive treatment from a specialist in New York than one in Iowa. However, saving money on health insurance this way depends on two factors: your health plan must allow you to select, and you must be able to find the services you need at affordable prices. However, much of this depends on the plan type. If your insurance plan limits your range of options, you cannot select where you get services and may be forced to pay more.
Watch out for medical billing errors
If you have health insurance, billing errors may not seem to be that much of a problem. However, you typically pay a portion of your medical bills through deductibles, coinsurance, and copays. The CEO and founder of Medical Billing Advocates of America, Pat Palmer, says his organization discovers errors on three out of every four medical bills they review. Whether they occur due to a deliberate abuse of the system or genuine human error, these errors increase costs and siphon cash away from employers and insurance providers. Ultimately, increased costs mean higher premiums for you, so it is best to scrutinize your medical bills for errors to ensure that you pay the right amounts. This way, you will reduce how much you pay out of pocket and keep your costs down. It is always best to request an itemized bill that specifies the supplies, procedures, or medications you are being billed for when perusing your medical bills, so keep this in mind.
Discover whether you are eligible for government assistance
You may be eligible for government-funded health insurance thanks to Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program based on your income level. You may still qualify for cost-sharing subsidies or premium tax credits to help pay for insurance bought on the marketplace if your income is too high to be eligible for the above-listed programs. For instance, the average marketplace premium was $575 monthly in early 2021, but the average subsidy was $486 monthly, lowering out-of-pocket expenses to just $89. President Biden’s American Rescue Plan is largely responsible for making marketplace plans cheaper by boosting accessibility to subsidies and tax credits irrespective of income levels.
Seek alternatives to traditional health insurance
Several individuals do not know that they qualify for group insurance benefits due to professional or other membership associations. However, knowing your eligibility and taking full advantage of it can help you save on health insurance. For instance, the Farm Bureau Health insurance is a membership-type plan based on community, so you can sign up for it despite not being a farmer. You can also leverage group health insurance plans for employees or join a family member’s plan to save money.