Insurance Basics: Home
Planning when to start a family is a big decision, and getting the care you need is important every step of the way. This guide will tell you about types of benefits, types of providers and places to give birth.
Medical supplies and equipment, such as bandages and wheelchairs, and ambulance rides are often listed separately on bills and Explanation of Benefits (EOB) forms.
Your plan may contract with doctors, dentists and other healthcare practitioners; hospitals; labs; radiology facilities; pharmacies and other types of providers. These are the providers in your “network”.
Receiving care from a provider in your health plan´s network usually costs you much less than going to an out-of-network provider.
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.