Insurance Basics: Home
Health plans negotiate the price of medical services with certain doctors, hospitals, labs and other providers.
After you visit a provider, you may get a bill telling you how much you have to pay.
Suppose your insurer won´t pay for a healthcare service, or pays less than you had expected. You have the right to “appeal”, or ask for your case to be formally reconsidered.
Our mental and emotional health is a vital part of our well-being. If we don´t get the help we need, mental and emotional health problems can hurt our relationships with our family and friends, our jobs and even our communities.
New rules have expanded access to two types of limited health insurance plans. They are association health plans (AHPs) and short-term, limited duration (STLD) health plans. Because they don’t have to follow the Affordable Care Act, these plans can cost less than regular health plans. But, they have limitations you should know.
For many health services, you have time to plan and shop around. If you’re getting the service in a hospital or health system, you may be able to check the price ahead of time at different facilities. You can also use the Shoppable Services tool on this website to learn the average price for the service in your area and surrounding areas.