Find Affordable Health Insurance In Pittsburgh, PA
If you live in or around Pittsburgh and are in need of good health insurance coverage, you may have a bit of a challenge ahead of you. Finding health insurance in Pittsburgh, in 2024, is not as simple as it may seem. As with other large bustling cities, it can be really difficult to find an insurance professional that is willing
to take the time to help you sort through the myriad of health plans out there. And without professional assistance, things can get really confusing - fast.
About Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
As of 2018, Pittsburgh was the 63rd-largest city in the U.S., with a population of 308,144. The metropolitan population of 2,362,453, is the largest in both the Ohio Valley and Appalachia, the second-largest in Pennsylvania (behind Philadelphia), and the 26th-largest in the U.S. Pittsburgh is known both as "the Steel City" for its more than 300 steel-related businesses and as the "City of Bridges" for its 446 bridges.
There are several factors that you need to consider when attempting to purchase a quality health plan for you or your family. The first item on your list should be which type of health plan should you consider - HMO, PPO, POS, EPO, etc.?
Are you looking for an Affordable Care Act plan, or are you looking for a wider range of options?As of 2018, Pittsburgh was the 63rd-largest city in the U.S., with a population of 308,144. The metropolitan population of 2,362,453, is the largest in both the Ohio Valley and Appalachia, the second-largest in Pennsylvania (behind Philadelphia), and the 26th-largest in the U.S. Pittsburgh is known both as "the Steel City" for its more than 300 steel-related businesses and as the "City of Bridges" for its 446 bridges.
Good to know: If there is a deadline associated with your health insurance purchase, be sure you know exactly when it is. Make specific note of the timeline for enrollment, and give yourself plenty of time to research your plan choices before the deadline arrives. Let's face it. It's easy to put off a purchase such as health insurance - largely because there is no immediate impact if you delay. So, commit to finishing the task early. You don't want to be scrambling for answers at the last minute.
Short Term Health Insurance
You may want to add short-term health insurance to your list of possible options. Short-term insurance is not so short anymore. Thanks to new government guidelines, you can keep a short-term health insurance plan a lot longer than what was previously allowed. In addition, the benefits of many short term plan options have been significantly improved. While short term health insurance plans do not offer the comprehensive level of insurance coverage of an Affordable Care Act Health Insurance plan, the features and benefits are now comparable. And the monthly premiums tend to be more affordable. In some cases, a short term health plan may be the exaxt health plan fit for your needs. Get an instant short term health insurance plan rate quote
Healthcare Sharing Plans
There are also healthcare sharing plans. Consumers are choosing healthcare sharing plans, (also known as faith-based health plans), over traditional health insurance in ever increasing numbers. A Healthcare sharing plan is not a health insurance plan - at least not in the legal sense of the word. These plans are designed to meet the same needs as traditional health insurance, however, faith-based health plans are not governed by the ACA (Affordable Care Act) rules and regulations. The result is an umbrella of health plan options that can offer a benefit structure that is different than what is available via an Affordable Care Act plan. These plans are noted by their flexibility and affordability. Get an instant Healthcare sharing plan rate quote
All of the above options are available in Pittsburgh. You need only to choose which health plan option will best suit your needs. Because health insurance is such an important necessity, you should always seek the assistance of a licensed insurance professional.
Good to know: Just because your doctor writes you a prescription doesn't mean you can fill it. Expensive medications for treatment of certain cancers, diabetes, liver disease, and a host of other maladies can cost patients tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars if the insurer does not cover the drugs. But even if the drugs are covered, insurers have been known to try to stall, just to see if the patient will come up with the money to pay for the drugs rather than wait on the insurer's approval. What can we say? It happens.
Healthcare.gov
One of the simplest means of acquiring a health plan, is to purchase a plan on Healthcare.gov. To purchase a plan via Healthcare.gov, you will need to apply during the open enrollment period. This period is normally about a month and a half long, and occurs during the fall of every year. This is the only time you may enroll unless you qualify for enrollment due to special circumstances. If you fall within a certain specific income bracket, you may qualify for subsides, which are income-based discounts on the monthly premiums.
There are several health plan options that are available to you, that are not part of the Affordable Care Act portfolio. They include short-term health plans, (which are not so short anymore) and healthcare sharing plans, (Sometimes referred to as faith-based health plans).
After deciding on where you plan to purchase your health insurance, the next step is to decide which type of plan is best for you. These plan types include: Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Exclusive Provider Organization, or a Point of Service Plan (POS), and more. The structures of the various plans are quite different. Be sure to seek assistance from a licensed insurance agent, if you are not intimately aware of unique health plan differences. The impact of purchasing the wrong plan can be emotionally and financially significant.
Interesting Fact: Americans see their physicians less frequently than patients in most other countries. On average, citizens in the U.S. go to the doctor just four times a year, compared to the 12.9 times per year Japanese patients see their doctors on average, according to MLive Media Group. Only Switzerland, New Zealand and Sweden have a lower average number of doctor appointments than the United States.
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| UPMC Mercy 1400 Locust St Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Telephone: (412) 232-8111 Plus Code: C2P7+CV Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
Once you have selected a plan type you desire, you should look at the size of the health care network and estimated out-of-pocket costs. Any insurance plan summary will lay out how much you may likely pay out of pocket, for deductibles, copayments, and co-insurance, should you encounter a medical circumstance. Generally, the lower the premium the higher your out-of-pocket-costs.
The final step is to compare the offered benefits with your family's specific medical needs. This consists of making sure that the plan provides for any needed medications, coverage during travel, and any reoccurring care required.
Other articles:
Explaining The Growth of Healthcare Sharing Healthplans
Finding Short-Term Health Insurance.
Medicare Supplement vs Medicare Advantage in Pennsylvania.
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