Top Healthcare and Insurance Insights All in One Place

No one adds “get pneumonia” or “ankle sprain” to their calendar. As much as we hope to never need to visit urgent care, most of us do need medical care at some point or another. Preventative care can also catch small health problems before they snowball into big ones. If you don’t have health coverage, you’re stuck paying the entire bill in full. Considering just getting an X-ray can cost up to $400, going without insurance is a major risk. Aside from being protected from crushing medical expenses, having health insurance makes taking care of your physical and mental health much more accessible.

Not sure where to start? Let’s review the health insurance basics

Health insurance can be confusing, but it’s not as complicated as it seems. When you sign up for a health insurance plan, you’ll have several coverage options to pick from depending on your needs and budget. Factors to consider when choosing a plan include:

Health Insurance Tiers: Health plans are typically arranged in tiers. Gold or platinum plans offer the most comprehensive coverage, while bronze offers the least. All plans cover an annual physical and emergency medical treatment, but you’ll have to pay more out of pocket if you have a lower-tier plan.  

HMOs vs PPOs: In addition to tiers, health insurance plans are broken into two categories: HMOs or PPOs. HMOs usually cost less per month, but members are required to visit care providers within a certain network. A PPO is more expensive per month, but members can use providers both in and out of network without getting a referral. If you see specialists frequently, the flexibility of a PPO may be worth the higher premium.

Monthly Premiums: Every insurance plan comes with a monthly premium. Higher-tier plans and PPOs typically have higher premiums.

Deductibles: In addition to a monthly premium, health insurance plans require members to pay a certain amount before their coverage kicks in. This is called a deductible. If a plan has a $1,500 deductible, that’s how much you’ll need to pay yourself before your insurance begins to pay. This doesn’t include services that are included in the plan for free, like an annual wellness exam, preventative screenings, and vaccines.

Copayments: After you’ve met your plan’s deductible, you’ll still need to pay copayments when you receive medical services. Copayments can be a flat fee or a percentage of the cost of care. For example, your plan may require a $25 copayment for every doctor’s visit outside of your annual wellness exam, or $50 for every visit to the ER. Some services, like diagnostic tests, might require you to pay a percentage of the cost yourself. If you have a 20% copay, your insurance will pay 80%, and you’ll have to pay the remaining 20% yourself.

Statistically, having a health insurance plan improves your quality of life– And your family’s too!

The most obvious benefit of having health insurance is that you’re protected from unexpected, high medical costs. Considering the average cost of hospital care after a heart attack is over $50,000, and a C-section costs over $20,000, that benefit alone justifies the expense. Members also pay less for covered, in-network care, even if they haven’t yet met their deductible. If you have kids, all the preventative care they need is covered, and so is yours.

In short, health insurance makes healthcare more accessible. When people aren’t stuck worrying about whether they can afford an ambulance ride or not, they’re more likely to get the medical attention they really need. Those with health insurance have lower death rates and better health outcomes in the long run. They also are more likely to take prescribed medication consistently when cost is no longer a barrier.

Because physical and mental health impact every facet of our lives, having health insurance improves well-being throughout the entire community. People who can access health care easily are more likely to prioritize their health and address medical issues, increasing productivity and improving financial wellness. Coverage also makes it easy to get preventative care, lowering the number of visits to the emergency department later on.

What happens if you’re not insured?

If you’re not insured, cross your fingers and hope you never get sick. A trip to the ER can easily cost thousands. It’s possible to set aside money in a Health Savings Account, or HSA, but should not be considered a replacement for health insurance coverage. An HSA can be a valuable part of a comprehensive healthcare strategy to help cover your plan's deductible and copays, and it comes with beneficial tax advantages. Nevertheless, without insurance, you’ll be stuck paying full price for every service, which can easily exceed what most of us can reasonably save. In other words, going uninsured is a huge gamble that’s rarely worth the risk.

If you have any pre-existing conditions, don’t worry. The Affordable Care Act stipulates that health insurance companies can’t charge extra or refuse coverage just because someone has an existing health condition.

Okay, I’m sold. When can I sign up?

Every year, there’s an opportunity to sign up for a new insurance plan or change your old one. The enrollment period is called open enrollment, and it runs from November 1st through January 15th. Some states offer extended enrollment through January 30th.

Outside of that window, you can only sign up for insurance if you have a qualifying life event, like losing health coverage through your employer or getting married. Short-term insurance plans are available if you miss the deadline, but they’re expensive and are designed for temporary coverage gaps. It’s much easier to plan ahead and sign up for the right policy during open enrollment.

Find the coverage option that’s right for you

With open enrollment around the corner, this is the ideal time to start planning your next health insurance move. Follow HealthBird on social to get real-time updates, or get free quotes for health plans, dental, vision, and more in minutes.

Signing up for a health insurance plan is a little different in the gig economy. Salaried positions usually come with health benefits, typically offering a few health insurance plan options to pick from. If you’re self-employed, gig economy worker, or freelancer, health coverage isn’t built into your job.

Does that mean you’re stuck without insurance, crossing your fingers that nothing goes wrong? Of course not! The process of getting insured as a gig worker is different, but it’s still easy and affordable if you know how to do it. Relax. We’ll walk you through it.

When you’re a gig economy worker, you’re your own boss.

Self-employed friends, give yourself a pat on the back. In the eyes of the government, you’re your own employer. In exchange for perks like choosing, how, when, and where you work, you’re in charge of getting your own medical insurance plan.

Why is health insurance as a gig worker so important, anyway?

Unless you’re the next Marvel superhero, you’re probably not invincible. In addition to the risk of getting sick or injured, staying on top of preventative care is crucial for gig workers. While some states offer limited unemployment benefits to independent contractors, more often than not, being unable to work means losing your income. If a gig worker gets seriously ill and can’t work, they’re stuck taking care of astronomical medical bills while they’re supposed to be taking care of themselves. Not good. Fortunately, getting insured isn’t that tough.

With HealthBird, picking a new plan is a breeze for gig workers

When your employer provides health insurance, your options are chosen for you. As a gig worker, you have dozens of plans to pick from, but all those options can be overwhelming. That’s where HealthBird comes in. Just download the app, answer a few questions, and get a list of plans that fit your needs and budget in a matter of minutes.

It’s crazy simple, and depending on your income, number of dependents, and other factors, you may be eligible for reduced premiums. Additionally, if you pay for your own medical insurance, your monthly premiums are deductible on your federal taxes.

Still nervous? Don’t be!

If you can handle being your own boss, you can handle this one too. Open enrollment is coming soon.

Prepare by taking the free HealthBird app for a spin and start planning your next health insurance move today.

Growing up is fun, isn’t it? You finally have no one telling you what to do! When you turn 26 and realize you have no idea how health insurance actually works, and can’t stay on Mom or Dad’s plan anymore, it’s not quite as fun. There are plenty of other reasons you may not have had to shop for health insurance up until now, too. Maybe you’ve always had insurance through your job, and now you’re taking the freelance life for a spin. Whatever the reason, signing up for health insurance doesn’t need to be intimidating.

If none of the insurance jargon makes sense, don’t feel bad. Just follow this 10-step cheat sheet, and you’ll be on your way to having effective, affordable coverage. If you’re in a rush, skip to number eight. If there’s any insurance fact you have to know, it’s that one.

1. Know that signing up for a health insurance plan saves money in the long run

At first, signing up for health insurance seems like a waste of money. If you’re young and healthy, it feels pointless to hand over your hard-earned cash for a subscription you never use. Why bother? You probably use Hulu and Netflix way more often, and those services don’t pay for themselves! The difference is that if you cancel your streaming subscriptions, the biggest risk is that you’ll miss out on the latest Disney+ exclusive. If you skip health coverage, you risk paying tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket. It doesn’t seem worth it until you need it. Once you do, it’s very, very worth it. Paying for another pricy “subscription” might be a pain, but going bankrupt hurts so much worse. Don’t risk it.

2. Be wary of sketchy health insurance ads

The allure of low-cost health insurance advertised online is understandable. If it looks too good to be true it probably is. When you’re shopping for health insurance, stick with reliable sources. If you are not selecting a plan through your employer, HealthBird is the go-to platform for reviewing your options. It's a reputable app that streamlines the entire process. Alternatively, you can also explore HealthCare.gov for additional choices and information.

3. Find out if you’re eligible for free or low-cost coverage

Depending on your income, it’s possible you’re eligible for reduced monthly premiums, or even no premium at all. If you’re over 26, or over 18 and no one claims you as a dependent on their income taxes, your income will be automatically taken into account during the application process to get you the best prices possible.

4. Consider your health needs

Before you choose a plan, consider how you’ll likely use it. If you’re young and have no preexisting conditions, you’ll likely use your insurance sparingly. You may not need to spend extra on a PPO plan that allows you to visit out-of-network specialists without a referral. If you have a chronic condition, however, the upgrade is worth it. Check whether your current prescriptions are covered under any plans you’re reviewing as well. Just like pants, your plan is supposed to fit you, not the other way around.

5. Browse local health networks

If you select an HMO plan, you’ll be able to see a list of doctors and specialists who all work within a single network. If you already have a doctor you love, check what network they work with and choose a plan accordingly. If you don’t, consider asking around for local recommendations to make it easier to find a primary care physician you actually want to visit.

6. Read up on premiums, deductibles, and copays

Decoding some of the buzzwords of health insurance is important to choosing the right plan. The short version? A premium is the amount you pay every month to stay covered. A deductible is the amount you’ll be expected to pay out of pocket before your coverage kicks in. A copay is the amount you’ll have to pitch in for covered services. A lab test might be covered 80% by your insurance plan, for example, while you’ll need to pay the remaining 20%. For the details, check out our in-depth post on health insurance tiers.

7. If you like the plan you have, you might be able to keep it

Even if you’re aging out of your parent’s health insurance plan, if you already love the insurance you have, why change? Many major health insurance companies offer the same or similar health insurance plans through online insurance marketplaces as they do through employers. Look for a plan within the same insurance provider network, and all your existing care providers should be covered.

8. Don’t miss the deadline

Health insurance open enrollment is only available once a year starting on November 1st. Shoppers have until January 15th to enroll, although individual states may extend the deadline. Get the details on how open enrollment works here.

9. Sign up the easy way

If you go to your state’s online healthcare marketplace, you’ll need to sort through all your coverage options on your own. That’s a tedious task for anyone! HealthBird simplifies the process by asking you to answer the most important questions right off the bat. Based on your answers, the app narrows down your options and curates customized, no-commitment quotes in minutes. Give it a try! It’s totally free.

10. Ask for help

Still stumped? We have live agents available around the clock to clear up any confusion and help you choose the right health insurance plan for you. Yes, real people, not annoying bots. Reach out online, and get your questions answered fast.