Resources to Find Cheap Health Insurance

The U.S. Census Bureau says about 46.6 million Americans are uninsured, accounting for about 15.9 percent of the population. Many of those are middle-class consumers who are either self-employed, work for employers who don't offer health insurance or think the health insurance plan is too expensive for their budget. With healthcare costs increasing each year, going without health insurance is risky. A catastrophic accident or serious illness can do more damage to the family budget than paying for health insurance each month. This leaves many families searching for cheap health insurance that will take care of them should a serious injury or illness strike them.

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Before you start searching for cheap health insurance, you will want to ask yourself several questions:

* Do I want to make sure my doctor or hospital is on the plan and if he isn't, am I willing to switch to another doctor or hospital if my choice is not covered?

* Do I want to include a prescription plan in my coverage?

* What deductible amount can I pay if I have a major health crisis?

* What am I willing to accept as a co-pay for physician office visits?

* Do I have a pre-existing condition that may affect my ability to be covered by health insurance?

* Do I want my health insurance plan to include wellness checkups?

* Do I want to include home health care, nursing home costs, mental health counseling, drug and alcohol counseling, or other specialized services?

* How much do I want to pay each month?

Once you have answered these questions, you can begin your search. Consumers have many resources to find cheap health insurance to save money on healthcare costs. The easiest and most popular resource is the Internet. Type "cheap health insurance" into the search engine of your choice and you will find hundreds of companies offering insurance.

Many of these online companies represent several major companies, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, United HealthCare and Aetna. By providing some information about yourself and the deductibles you want, you can receive an immediate quote. You can adjust the amount of the monthly payment by choosing lower deductibles and eliminating prescription plans and wellness checks. With these companies, you can tailor a plan to meet you and your family's needs without being bothered by an agent or salesperson.

You can also visit the insurer of your choice to purchase a cheap health insurance plan. Most of the major insurance companies have websites that can give free quotes and allow you to purchase a plan online. But often to get a cheap health insurance plan directly from the insurance company, you have to take a high deductible and high co-pay for office visits. In the long run, purchasing a cheaper health insurance plan directly from the insurer may strain your budget, particularly if you find yourself need to use the insurance often.

A local insurance agent can also help you search for cheap health insurance. An agent specializes in dealing with insurance companies and may be able to negotiate a plan on your behalf. Having a local agent also gives you someone in your neighborhood you can call if you have questions about your coverage or a claim. Dealing with someone locally gives you an advocate should a problem arise with your health insurance. You can find healthcare insurance agents in your local phone book.

Other options for finding cheap health insurance is through a membership either with an alumni, professional or some other type of organization. Often insurers will provide good health insurance plans through these membership organizations.

When shopping for cheap health insurance, beware that many offers are not actually insurance. Many consumers have purchased health discount cards, which offer savings on some procedures and prescriptions. However, many of these cards will not offer much in savings should a serious illness or injury occurs because they only pay a portion of the total bill. Many doctors, pharmacies and hospitals do not accept the discount cards.

Having good health insurance can save you thousands of dollars if you need it. Having a cheap health insurance policy can give you peace of mind without straining the family budget.