Insurance Basics: Home

Cost Sharing

Health insurance protects you from paying the full cost of your care. But, you will likely still have to pay some money out of your pocket. Almost all plans call for “cost sharing”. That means your insurer pays for part of your care, and you pay for part.

Cost Sharing
Flexible Spending Plans

Flexible spending plans let you set aside money from your paycheck. You can use it to pay for care before meeting your deductible, and for copays and coinsurance afterward.

Flexible Spending Plans
Anesthesia Reimbursement

Anesthesia is used to block pain, relax you or control how awake you are. It is used during surgery or other complex procedures. You may need anesthesia even if you´re not in an operating room.

If Your Plan Doesn't Pay (Appealing a Reimbursement Decision)

Suppose your insurer won´t pay for a healthcare service, or pays less than you had expected. You have the right to “appeal”, or ask for your case to be formally reconsidered.

Limited Health Plans: AHPs and STLD Plans

New rules have expanded access to two types of limited health insurance plans. They are association health plans (AHPs) and short-term, limited duration (STLD) health plans. Because they don’t have to follow the Affordable Care Act, these plans can cost less than regular health plans. But, they have limitations you should know.

Managing Costs of Long-Term Care

Long-term care is medical and nonmedical care that you receive for an extended period of time, at home, in your community or in a residential facility. This article will tell you how to manage the costs of long-term care. This article does not provide medical, financial or legal advice.