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Easy as 1-2-3: Obtaining Health Insurance
Many people are often concerned about obtaining health insurance. Th
ey are confused about their options or about how to obtain the best
health insurance for them or their family. There are several ways to
obtain health insurance, though, and some of them are not always ob
vious, but can be quite easy in the end.
Health insurance is commonly obtained through an employer. Nearly a
ll employers these days offer some sort of "group" health insurance
plan for employees. The term "group" simply denotes that there is
a large group of people on the plan, which decreases the cost of th
e monthly premium for all members. These plans can cover yourself,
your spouse, and your family, depending on the specific policy. Cov
ering more than just yourself obviously increases your monthly prem
ium, but the ability to cover your family inexpensively is a huge b
enefit. To obtain group health insurance through your employer, you
should contact your human resources department or whoever is in ch
arge of benefits in your company. You should be able to buy into th
e group health insurance plan at any time during your employment.
If you leave an employer who offers group health insurance without f
irst finding other coverage, you can also use the COBRA law with you
r previous employer's health insurance coverage. COBRA is a governme
nt act that allows you to continue coverage under your previous empl
oyer, though at a more expensive rate. If you had coverage for your
entire family, COBRA will allow you to continue this full coverage f
or a certain period of time.
There are several million people in the United States who are unable
to participate in any group health insurance plans, however. Health
insurance companies do offer individual plans for those who do not
have coverage through their employer, are self-employed, or are inel
igible for government health insurance assistance, such as Medicare
or Medicaid. Individual health insurance plans are more o