Health Insurance Quotes in Torrington, WY
Compare Health Insurance Plans in Torrington, WY
Health insurance is about as personal as it gets. It is one of the most intimate and particular types of insurance. Plans available in Torrington, WY vary in the type and the amount of coverage, as well as the amount of accompanying fees. Generally, plans with lower monthly payments (premiums) tend to have higher co-pays and minimum amount of money that the insured must pay before benefits become active (deductibles), and offer limited coverage. This means that the insured will be responsible for a larger portion of the total bill. Plans with higher monthly installments will have lower co-pays and deductibles and offer more complete coverage. The insurer assumes responsibility for a larger portion of the bottom line.
The primary step toward obtaining health insurance in Torrington, WY is to determine what the insured may need in the coming year, since the opportunity to adjust a policy comes at least once a year. History of behavior and health issues along with what will most probably happen in the near future must be reconciled in order to anticipate what care the insured may realistically need.
For example, if the insured is usually healthy and does not have pre-existing chronic ailments, then a good option would be a policy that covers preventive care visits and/or fairly reasonable premiums and deductible to accommodate visits to primary care facilities. If the insured travels regularly or spends a significant amount of time in harm's way, then a good policy for him or her would cover frequent ER visits and regular doctor visits. If the insured suffers from a chronic condition or disease, then a good policy for him or her would cover regular doctor visits along with preventive care and possible hospital visits and medication. Policies that focus primarily on catastrophic situations requiring emergency hospitalization have the least probable premiums. Let MyRatePlan help you find the best health insurance in Torrington, WY for your needs.
Comparing Health Insurance Coverage in Torrington, WY
Just as the source of insurance varies, so do your coverage options. Some plans are inexpensive, but cover only major health problems or hospitalization. Other plans in Torrington, WY cost more money, but have lower deductibles and cover a much wider variety of healthcare services.
Since there is no way to know what the future holds for your health, using your past experience is the best way to determine how much health coverage you'll need. If you're fairly healthy and visit your doctor sparingly, it's probably safe for you to go with a low cost plan offering minimal coverage. These types of plans are known as catastrophe plans since they cover you only in the event of a serious health problem or emergency care.
If, however, you have a chronic health condition such as diabetes or visit the doctor often, you'll want a plan that provides more coverage. These plans cost more upfront, but save you money over the long term by covering basic doctor's visits, testing services and preventive screenings. These plans may also cover you while you are traveling outside of Torrington, WY as well as when you are at home.
The Different Types of Health Insurance Policies in Torrington, WY
Quite a few different types of health insurance plans are available in Torrington, WY. While these types can have similar levels of coverage, other factors, including how convenient they are to use and their flexibility, will vary considerably. Common plan types include health management organizations (HMOs), preferred provider organizations (PPOs), point of service plans (POS), health savings accounts (HSAs), health reimbursement accounts (HRAs), flexible spending arrangements (FSAs) and medical savings accounts (MSAs).
HMOs in Torrington, WY are popular and often affordable options for health insurance. These include a network of providers, and the individual picks one doctor from that network as his primary care physician. The primary care physician is essentially a gatekeeper for any health needs that patient has. If the patient needs to visit a specialist, he first goes to his primary care physician, who chooses whether to approve it and provides a referral. Although HMOs typically have lower premiums, their networks can be more limited than other plans. On the plus side, out-of-pocket costs tend to be reasonable and these plans don't have deductibles.
A PPO also has a network of providers, and the individual can visit any doctor within this network in Torrington, WY. He can also see specialists without getting a referral first. For the best financial coverage, the individual must go to healthcare facilities within his network. He can typically get partial assistance for costs incurred at out-of-network providers. With a PPO, policyholders have deductibles and co-pays, along with limits regarding yearly out-of-pocket spending.
A POS plan blends how HMO and PPO plans work. The individual chooses a primary care physician from the plan's network, which is usually a decent size. Visits to providers within the network have low co-pays and no deductible, but visits outside the network will have high deductibles and co-pays.
The remaining types of plans are nontraditional and far less common than the three described above. HSAs, HRAs, FSAs and MSAs all involve either the individual or his employer putting money into a tax-exempt savings account, which is then used for all medical expenses, such as doctor's visits, surgeries, prescriptions and sometimes even over-the-counter medications. These plans tend to be flexible and some let the policyholder roll over unused funds to the next year.
Breakdown of Health Insurance Costs in Torrington, WY
When paying for health insurance in Torrington, WY, the monthly amount that an individual pays to the insurance company is called the premium. The individual will not be reimbursed for this money, regardless of whether he or she uses that insurance. A deductible, by contrast, refers to additional expenses that individuals are required to pay to the healthcare provider before the insurance company begins to chip in.
Deductibles differ from out of pocket costs, insofar as deductibles refer to the amount individuals are required to pay before their insurance company will help with expenses for a particular purchase, while an out of pocket cost refers to the total amount of medical expenses individuals will have to pay before the insurance company will cover the rest of their expenses. In other words, an out of pocket cost covers nothing until the individuals reach a certain payment cap, after which the insurance company will take over the rest of his or her medical bills for the allotted time.
Deductibles and out of pocket costs usually reset at the beginning of each year. Normally, money spent one year will not roll over into the next, so if an individual spent $1200 out of pocket against his or her $3000 deductible, this will reset to $0 at the beginning of the year, with the $1200 expenditure from the previous year having no impact on the individual's costs. In Torrington, WY, however, some plans offer consumers an alternative to this annual reset by putting these out of pocket expenses towards the deductible for the first quarter of the new year.
There are also co-payments and co-insurance, terms that refer to the financial responsibility of the individual patient after receiving medical treatment. If an individual has a $10 co-payment for seeing a physician, this means he or she will have to pay this amount at every visit to the doctor's office. After the co-payment, the insurance covers the rest. Co-payments do not count towards the annual deductible.
Also, some insurance companies in Torrington, WY have a maximum lifetime benefit, which sets a limit on the total amount of money the insurance company will pay for an individual person's healthcare. If an individual reaches this limit, the insurance company will no longer pay his or her medical claims.
An individual's coverage options largely depend upon his or her current employment status. Large companies often provide employees with a group insurance plan, one that usually provides employees with a more affordable option than other plans, but isn't mandatory upon employment.
Those who are self-employed or unemployed, however, will have to seek insurance from a health insurance company for private individuals. For unemployed or retired seniors, coverage options are available through Medicare. Likewise, if an individual has a low income, he or she can sign up for Medicaid.
If an individual wants to keep his or her current primary care provider, the person should check to see which of the available Torrington, WY healthcare plans are accepted by that physician. On a similar note, everyone should make sure to tell their doctors after changing their insurance company, checking with the insurance company to find answers to any specific coverage questions they may have.
Get Quotes On Health Insurance Plans in Torrington, WY Online
Health insurance is one of the most important decisions you can make for yourself and your family. Make sure you take the time to consider all of the health insurance options available to you in Torrington, WY. As you assess all these factors in choosing a health insurance plan, MyRatePlan can help simplify the process greatly. Just enter your ZIP code above and see many ways in which you can save money on your health insurance policy.
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ZIP Codes in Torrington, WY
- 82240