Premiums

• Insurers refer to charges for insurance plans as premiums. Typically, the more comprehensive the plan, the higher the premium. Various health insurance providers may have different premium payment requirements. For example, some insurers may require automatic withdraw from the insured's checking account. Others may require several months of premium paid at one time. Make sure you are comfortable with the premium and payment structure of any plans you consider.
  
  

Out-of-pocket Costs

• Nearly every insurance plan has out-of-pocket expenses. Out-of-pocket refers to the portion of your costs not covered by the plan. The insured pays this amount, which includes individual and family deductibles combined with co-pays for prescriptions or office visits. When reviewing health plans, consider all potential out-of-pocket maximums. In the event the insured uses the health insurance plan, these expenses should not be a surprise.
  
  

Coverage

• Providers do not create all insurance plans equally. Reviewing potential health plans for service coverage helps determine which services they cover and which they do not. Ideally, health insurance shoppers should seek plans with no annual limits, lifetime benefit maximums of $2 million or more, and no limits on medically necessary services.
  
  

Out of Network

• Insurance providers often assemble plans by geographic territory and partner with local service providers. Outside the specified territory, service providers do not give discounted rates. Consequently, the insurance provider typically reduces coverage benefits when receiving service outside your local network. Preview network territories for any plans you consider. Examine how often you travel outside the respective network, and consider any reductions in coverage for out-of-network services.
  
  

Getting Started

• After identifying the key concepts in health insurance plan jargon, and understanding plan details to review and address, it is time to get started. Several comparative health insurance quote websites exist, including eHealth Insurance, Health Insurance Sort, and Health Insurance Quotes.com (See Resources). These websites let users review many different providers and plans in one place, saving time and reducing the effort of comparing plans.