What Do You Want from a Health Plan?

Health plans come in many varieties, each with its own pros and cons. To pick the one that’s best for you, you need to know what you want from a health plan. It may help if you ask yourself the following questions.

Federal Open Enrollment Period Gets Shorter

Now is a good time to think about open enrollment for 2018. That’s the period when you can enroll in or make changes to a health plan. Of special note: The federal open enrollment period is now half as long as before.

New Websites Help You Plan Healthcare Costs

Planning healthcare costs can seem complicated. Now, FAIR Health offers two free websites that can help you plan such costs and understand how health insurance works. One is for New Yorkers, the other for people nationwide.

How to Get Health Coverage While Traveling

If you’re planning a summer trip, the last thing you may want to think of is healthcare. But, accidents and illnesses can happen on the road as well as at home. Here are some tips on how to get health coverage while traveling.

Getting Insured outside Open Enrollment Periods

As pleasant as summer can be, it’s usually the wrong season for open enrollment. That’s the designated period of time—usually in the fall—when you can enroll in or make changes to a health insurance plan. But, there are some special circumstances that let you enroll any time.

Health Insurance for College Students

As you prepare to go to college, don’t forget to pack health coverage. Most colleges require students to have health insurance. And, if you don’t have health coverage, and you earn enough to afford it, you may have to pay a tax penalty. There are several ways of getting covered.

How to Handle Your Medical Bill

No one likes to get a bill. But, spending some time reviewing your medical bill may help you save money. Your review may be more fruitful if you do some advance work—such as asking your doctor how much a procedure is expected to cost.

Reading Your Explanation of Benefits

After you go to the doctor, you may get an explanation of benefits (EOB) from your insurer. Because the form includes a notice that it’s “not a bill,” you may be tempted to discard it. But, reading your EOBs can help you make the most of your health insurance.

Breaking Medical Codes

Medical paperwork may seem hard to understand. Some of the most mysterious parts are the codes. Those are the numbers (or letter-number combinations) that appear on medical bills and explanations of benefits (EOBs).

Budgeting for Healthcare

The start of a new year is a good time to plan for the costs that may be coming your way—and how to pay for them. Why not make a budget to plan for your healthcare costs?

Eight Ways to Control Healthcare Costs

Everyone talks about how healthcare costs are rising. But, there are ways for you to control your healthcare costs. Here are eight such ways.

Flexible Spending Plans

Saving money for healthcare expenses is a simple idea. But, there are ways to save money that, although a little more complex, help increase your savings. That’s the idea behind flexible spending plans.