How to Sign Up for Health Insurance

Comparing plans is easier now that all the plans are placed into categories (bronze, silver, gold and catastrophic). The difference between the plans is the percentage your plan will pay for the total cost of care.

For example:

• With a bronze plan, you'll pay more for health care services because you'll have a higher deductible to pay 100 percent before insurance starts helping you.
• With a gold plan you'll pay less for health care services. However, your monthly premium will be more because your deductible is much less than a silver or bronze plan deductible.

Tip: Look at your budget and identify how often you went to the doctor and/or pharmacy last year to determine which plan works best for you.

Find and talk to an agent near you to discover what type of plan works best for you.

For example, you may consider a bronze plan with affordable co-pays so you know exactly how much you'll pay when you do go to the doctor. Plans with a higher deductible will have lower monthly premiums. Make sure you understand plans that have you pay a co-insurance at the doctor’s office as this will be a percentage – and sometimes this is hard to predict.

Without health insurance, non-surgical treatment for broken leg typically costs up to $2,500 or more for a fracture that requires a cast. X-rays average $210 according to health.costhelper.com. If you need surgical treatment for a broken leg, it will typically cost you $17,000 to $35,000 or more.

If you have health insurance at the time of visit, the rest will depend on your co-pay and where you are at with your year-to-date deductible and annual out-of-pocket cost. (This is where having a low-deductible plan is beneficial. Yet the cost will be significantly less than without health insurance.

You're only a few clicks away from finding out if you qualify to reduce your monthly premiums based on your annual salary and number of people in your household. Check out this chart from healthcare.gov to find out.

Congratulations! This is an exciting time in your life and you're taking an important step by looking for health coverage.

First of all, identify your monthly budget and how much you can afford to pay each month for your premium.

Note: If you have an annual income of less than $96,000 for a family of four, you may be eligible for tax credits and cost reductions. However, if coverage is available through an employer, you may not be eligible for tax credits. Find out if you qualify for lower health insurance costs at healthcare.gov.

You can stay on your parents’ plan until you turn 26 years old. If you consider getting a plan on your own, depending on your household size and income, you may qualify for premium tax credits to reduce your monthly premium and/or lower out-of-pocket costs.

First of all, view pricing and identify if you qualify for financial assistance online. Be prepared, here is a checklist to save you time.

Then, check out our list of insurance agents or sign up to meet with anyone at our office by contacting us directly. We'd love to talk with you and are available at 1-855-MyAvera (692-8372) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday.

If you have questions, contact a local agent or one of our licensed agents or staff. You can always email Ask@AveraHealthPlans.com or stop at one of our locations.

We can’t stress enough how important it is to shop for health insurance, find the right plan for you and understand what you're paying for. We have a lot of experience and can walk you through plans while highlighting the benefits. We're here to answer your questions and walk you through the process as needed. Be prepared, here is a checklist to save you time.