Insurance Basics: Home

Emergency Care and Urgent Care

Your plan´s rules and costs may differ for some types of care. Knowing these rules can help you control your costs and get the right care in the right setting.

Emergency Care and Urgent Care
Cost Sharing

Health insurance protects you from paying the full cost of your care. But, you will likely still have to pay some money out of your pocket. Almost all plans call for “cost sharing”. That means your insurer pays for part of your care, and you pay for part.

Cost Sharing
Insured and Self-Insured Plans

Employers offer health coverage to their workers in several ways. Some buy an “off the shelf” plan from a commercial insurance company.

Negotiating Your Costs

Since providers are able to decide how much to charge for out-of-network care, sometimes that charge might be higher than you expected.

Getting Covered for Alternative Medicine

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.

Major Life Events and Planning for Health Insurance

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.