Insurance Basics: Home
There are three main sources of health coverage. The first is your job. The second is a plan that you buy. The third is a government program for older, disabled or low-income
Your employer may offer more than one health plan, or you may be shopping for your own individual plan.
To get the best care, it helps if you and your doctor make decisions together. The process is called "shared decision making." This article suggests ways to talk to your doctor about three common health problems where there may be no clear, "right" option. They are uterine fibroids, type 2 diabetes and low-risk prostate cancer. These are examples of preference-sensitive conditions.
After you visit a provider, you may get a bill telling you how much you have to pay.
Acupuncture, chiropractic care and massage therapy have one thing in common: They may not be covered by insurance. That’s because they may be looked at as alternative treatments, not part of conventional medical care.
Sometimes you know ahead of time that a major event will happen in your life. Examples might include getting married or divorced, changing jobs or having a baby. Other times, such as at a death, you may not have advance warning.
Do You Need Help?