Selecting a health insurance plan that would take care of all your healthcare needs is a bit tricky matter. Of course, the premium is the primary concern of citizens like you but that shouldn’t be the only concern. Though it’s natural to check the premium at first before anything else, other parameters like doctors’ network, types of prescription drugs inclusion, quality ratings, out-of-pocket costs, and some other factors cannot be ignored. When you consider all these aspects rather than considering only the monthly premium you get a suitable plan for yourself or the whole family. There is no dearth of medical insurance plans for individuals, you just need to be a bit judgmental in selecting a plan.

Consider the Quality Ratings – It helps in the Primary Selection

While choosing a health plan, apart from premiums of the plans in your consideration, look at the quality ratings. It’s important as it gives an overall idea regarding the healthcare service you can expect from the plan you are going to choose. The health plan is meant for supporting you financially in times of healthcare needs. Sometimes, buyers lose track of certain aspects while considering only premiums or out-of-the-pocket costs. Quality ratings help to grasp an overall idea regarding the medical insurance plans for individuals or any other plans. Quality rating of a plan of the plans are based on three aspects:

  • Experience of the members already using the plan
  • Quality of medical care including regular screening, vaccines, and other health services
  • Plan administration including customer service and easiness in accessing the necessary information

Understanding Metal Tiers in Health Insurance

As some metals are more valuable than others like Gold is more valuable than silver, metal tiers in health insurance indicate the relative values of the plans you have primarily selected. In any state health insurance marketplace, you could find the maximum of four metal tiers- Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Each tier depicts different characteristics of the plans depending on the networks, out-of-pocket cost, copay, and some other parameters. Gold plans are high-value plans, means premiums are high but out-of-pocket costs are low while Bronze is just the opposite. In this country, Silver plans are the most popular ones. These plans keep a balance between these two vital aspects along with other necessary parameters, especially in-network, and our-network costs and prescription medicines.

In any health insurance marketplace, you get diverse types of health insurance plans. You have to be a bit judgmental regarding your future healthcare needs. The medical health insurance plans for individuals are meant for your financial support and timely access to any medical facilities. The right choice of a plan will provide you complete peace of mind.