Health Insurance Quotes in Ringgold, GA

Comparing Health Insurance Plans in Ringgold, GA

Health insurance is a contract between an insurance company and an individual that covers a percentage of the individual's health expenses, including medical, some dental, surgeries, and prescriptions. Forms of health insurance differ according to the policy type. Either the insurance company will cover the costs directly or the insured individual will pay out-of-pocket to the care provider and receive reimbursement at a later time. Choosing health insurance is a big decision, but MyRatePlan does the hard part for you by comparing rates and coverage in Ringgold, GA, and even providing you with a free quote.

Health insurance is often provided by employers or private insurance companies. Disabled and elderly citizens are covered by Medicare and low-income individuals by Medicaid. Both Medicare and Medicaid are public, government-funded programs established to provide healthcare to those who need it for a more affordable price than offered by private insurance.

MyRatePlan can help to find the perfect coverage for you in Ringgold, GA. Let us compare policy types and rates for you so you can take your healthcare into your own hands.

Types of Health Insurance Policies in Ringgold, GA

As has been stressed already, there are many different types of medical insurance policies that need to be compared in order to choose the best fit. All such policies do have the tendency to provide similar amounts of coverage. The biggest difference to be analyzed is the wide range of flexibility and accessibility of the policies available in Ringgold, GA.

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) policies come with the mandate that the insured party has a primary care provider. A primary care provider is the physician who is in charge of the patient's overall healthcare. For example, if a specialist is needed, the patient must first go his or her primary care provider to get a referral if the primary care provider agrees that such a specialist is good for the patient. These plans tend to have lower premiums than other medical insurance plans, but there is also quite often a limitation regarding the network of doctors that HMO insured patients can see. However, HMOs never have deductibles, and the out-of-pocket costs tend to be significantly less than those of other health insurance plans in Ringgold, GA.

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plans tend to have exceedingly large networks of doctors available to patients. The insurance holder chooses any one of those doctors in the network as his or her primary care provider. Specialists can also be found within this network, meaning that no referral is required as is the case with HMO plans. As long as the patient chooses doctors and specialists within the network, the coverage will be very inclusive. On the other hand, coverage may be more limited, although not usually withheld, if it is necessary to seek medical care outside of the network of providers. Most PPO policies include deductibles, copayments, and annual limits to out-of-pocket spending.

POS (Point of Service) policies in Ringgold, GA combine the benefits of both HMO and PPO plans. The network of doctors to choose from is sizable but not to the degree of PPOs. There are no deductibles, and copayments remain low so long as the care provider is within the network. On the other hand, deductibles and copayments are quite high if the insurance holder seeks care from a provider outside the network.

These first three types of medical insurance policies are the most common types of health insurance plans found in Ringgold, GA. There are also some newer approaches to medical insurance that are now available and worth looking into. Among these are the HSA (Health Savings Account), the HRA (Health Reimbursement Arrangement), the FSA (Flexible Spending Account), and the MSA (Medical Savings Account). These are all accounts that rely on funds that the insured individual or employer has reserved in a tax-exempt savings account. All medical expenses, then, are taken out of such an account. It can be used for medical appointments, surgeries, prescription medications, and other treatments occasionally including over the counter medicines. Such plans tend to be highly flexible with regard to ways in which the money can be used. Some even allow for funds to roll over into the next year.

Understanding The Cost of Health Insurance in Ringgold, GA

One aspect of health insurance that makes the selection process confusing is the terminology. People are bombarded with terms that they don't understand and are not accustomed to. Here are some of the more common terms people can expect to hear when discussing health insurance and what they mean.

Deductibles are not considered out of pocket expenses. Out of pocket expenses refers to how much the insured has to spend before their insurance pays 100 percent of the medical expense. Deductibles refer to the annual financial commitment of the insured before their insurance starts paying. Both of these expenses will typically start over each year. For example, if an insured person has a deductible of $5,000 and they spend $1,400 throughout the year, that $1,400 will not count towards the new year's deductibles. However, some plans in Ringgold, GA will let the insured roll the unused amount, in this case, $3,600, and apply it towards the first quarter of the new year.

The amount of money an insured person has to pay each month is called the premium. It doesn't matter if the insured person uses their insurance throughout the year or not, these funds are not returned to the insured. Co-insurance, or copayments, are not applied to deductibles and refers to what portion of expenses the insured is responsible for when they receive medical services. The insurance company will pay the remainder of the amount after the insured has paid their co-payment so long as the services received are covered by the healthcare plan.

Some insurance companies in Ringgold, GA will also set lifetime maximum limits. This is the total amount the insurance company will pay for an individual's healthcare. If this limit is reached, the insurance company will not pay for any further medical claims.

A person's employment status also plays a significant part in what insurance plans are available to them. Larger companies will typically enable employees to enroll in their group health insurance. Group health insurance plans are usually more affordable than individual healthcare.

Medicare is available for non-working senior citizens in Ringgold, GA and they may be able to receive government financial assistance. Low-income individuals can also apply to receive government assistance called Medicaid. For those that are unemployed or self-employed, they have the option of purchasing individual healthcare through private companies.

For people that already have a doctor and are in the process of switching health insurance providers, it is important that they first check with their doctor before selecting a specific type of insurance. Some doctors will not accept all types of healthcare coverage. Additionally, the insured should also consult with their insurance provider if they are unsure or have questions about their coverage.

Get a Quote for Health Insurance in Ringgold, GA

One of the best things a person can do for themselves or their family is to make certain they have access to a health insurance plan in Ringgold, GA. Life brings on so many ups and downs in regards to health, and these items can affect not only the plan options available but what rates are being applied. Looking forward to all of the aspects of life that can make certain that the right plan is chosen. For example, if a woman plans on having a baby in the future, she needs to make certain that her plan offers maternity coverage and that a new family member can be added to the plan. It is important to note that eliminating coverage to save up-front costs is not the wisest idea in case disaster does strike. Here at MyRatePlan, we want to help people find the right plan for them, so enter your ZIP code for a free quote today.