Insurance Basics: Home

Types of Health Plans

Many insurers offer different types of plans. The costs, coverage and rules differ for each

Types of Health Plans
Protections for New York Consumers: Understanding Your Out-of-Pocket Costs

By law, consumers living in New York State have certain protections when shopping for and using their health insurance. Your insurer must provide up-to-date information about who is in your network.

Protections for New York Consumers: Understanding Your Out-of-Pocket Costs
Narrow Networks

Health plans negotiate the price of medical services with certain doctors, hospitals, labs and other providers.

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.

Experimental Treatments and Clinical Trials

Most health plans don´t cover treatments they regard as “experimental”. Sometimes, they may deny a claim for such a treatment.

Having More Than One Health Plan

Being covered under two health plans doesn't mean the two plans will pay the same amount twice for the same doctor visit. Instead, the plans follow rules about which plan pays what, known as "coordination of benefits."