Health Insurance Quotes in Clayton, GA

Compare Health Insurance Plans in Clayton, GA

What is health insurance? Health insurance covers a person's medical expenses, including everything from surgery to other health related costs. In the United States, a number of different healthcare coverage options are available. Some options charge the individual an out of pocket expense, later reimbursing them through the insurance company, while others involve the insurance company paying the provider directly. With MyRatePlan, one can compare health insurance rates and coverage in the Clayton, GA area, and even get a free quote online.

Most health insurance in Clayton, GA comes from either employers or private companies. Senior citizens also have access to Medicare, and low-income individuals are covered through Medicaid. Medicare and Medicaid offer health insurance coverage at a reduced rate, making it more affordable than private plans.

Private insurance plans offer many different levels of coverage. Less expensive plans might only cover catastrophic emergencies, providing people with minimal coverage. More expensive plans, by contrast, often offer complete health coverage. When seeking a healthcare plan, individuals must anticipate their future healthcare needs and choose their plan accordingly.

Different Types of Health Insurance in Clayton, GA

There are numerous and diverse health insurance options available in Clayton, GA. Many of these options have similar amounts of coverage, but vary in policy and procedure. Making an informed decision starts with a collection of data, so what are some of the basic differences between several types of policies?

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) options require that a primary care physician be a starting point for all medical inquiries and examinations. The insured chooses a physician in or near Clayton, GA, more than likely and general practitioner or family medicine specialist, who will determine the next step, if necessary, such as a referral to a specialist in a particular field like an orthopedist or a cardiologist. While these plans usually offer desirable benefits such as lower premiums, no deductibles, and reasonable co-pays, the limited network of participating physicians is fragmented. If time is money, then the insured will have to earn these benefits by finding a provider who accepts this kind of insurance.

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) participants also choose a primary care physician, but they do not need a referral to see a specialist. They pay deductibles and co-payments, and have limited out-of-pocket spending per year. Partial financial assistance is available for treatment outside of the network, but better coverage lies within it. PPO networks are much larger than HMO networks.

Point of Service (POS) plans combines HMO and PPO benefits and offers a sizable network of healthcare professionals in Clayton, GA for primary care. If the insured stays within this network, then he or she pays no deductible and has low co-payments. If the insured seeks treatment outside of the network, then he or she pays deductibles and higher co-payments.

Health Savings Account (HSA), Health Reimbursement Account (HRA), Health Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), and Medical Savings Account (MSA) are all more non-conventional in application. They operate in connection with tax-exempt savings that are held for medical related services. These savings can be used for doctor's visits, prescriptions, surgical procedures, and sometimes over-the-counter medications and applications. Flexibility and opportunities to roll balances over to a new year are the strengths of these kinds of plans.

Breaking Down Health Insurance Costs in Clayton, GA

There are several potential costs with health insurance plans in Clayton, GA. The first is the premium, which is how much the individual pays every month for his coverage. It's essentially a monthly service fee, as the individual never gets this money back.

The deductible is the amount that the individual needs to pay for medical expenses first each year before the insurance provider starts paying its portion. There are also out-of-pocket costs, which are different than deductibles in that out-of-pocket costs are the amount an individual needs to spend each time before the provider pays 100-percent of the bill.

With most plans, the deductible and out-of-pocket costs reset at the beginning of the year, and expenses from the previous year don't factor in moving forward. For example, if an individual's plan has a $5,000 deductible and he paid $3,000 out of pocket one year, his out-of-pocket expenses will go back to $0 at the start of the year. There are plans in Clayton, GA that allow policyholders to roll over what they paid for their deductibles to the first quarter of a new year.

The co-pay is the amount the individual must pay each time he visits a healthcare facility. If his primary care physician co-pay is $20, he'll pay that every time he visits his doctor. His insurance provider covers the rest of the costs from the visit, provided any services he receives are covered on his plan. Co-pays don't count towards a plan's deductible.

Some insurance plans have maximum lifetime benefits, which are the maximum amount that the provider will pay for the individual's healthcare. If the provider reaches this maximum, it won't pay any further for the policyholder's claims.

A major factor in health insurance plan options in Clayton, GA is the individual's employment status. Large companies usually have group health insurance plans with lower rates than employees would get purchasing individual healthcare. However, the law doesn't require employees to participate in these plans.

Individuals who are self-employed, such as freelancers and business owners, and those who are unemployed can purchase private, individual insurance coverage. Senior citizens are eligible for financial assistance from the government by getting Medicare. Those who are in low-income brackets can also apply for government assistance through the Medicaid program.

If an individual has a specific doctor he likes, he needs to check the health insurance policies in Clayton, GA that will allow him to keep seeing that doctor. It's also important that he informs his doctor if his plan changes, and that he contacts his provider if he has specific coverage questions.

Get a Quote for Health Insurance in Clayton, GA

One of the best things a person can do for themselves or their family is to make certain they have access to a health insurance plan in Clayton, GA. Life brings on so many ups and downs in regards to health, and these items can affect not only the plan options available but what rates are being applied. Looking forward to all of the aspects of life that can make certain that the right plan is chosen. For example, if a woman plans on having a baby in the future, she needs to make certain that her plan offers maternity coverage and that a new family member can be added to the plan. It is important to note that eliminating coverage to save up-front costs is not the wisest idea in case disaster does strike. Here at MyRatePlan, we want to help people find the right plan for them, so enter your ZIP code for a free quote today.