When you choose your own healthcare plan, you get to customize it completely, right?  Well, it all depends on your budget.  Unlike an employer sponsored plan, individual Arizona health plans are less comprehensive and usually lack coverage for pregnancy and many common prescription drugs.  While it’s possible to add this coverage to an individual plan, it may make the plan overpriced.  Finding the right Arizona health insurance plan is about knowing what to look for and how much it should cost.

Why work with a broker for your Arizona health insurance?

When you ask an experienced health insurance broker to help you find an affordable plan, they will know exactly which questions to ask you and what type of insurance plans are available. However, not every broker is looking out for the best interests of their customers.  Some only offer plans from a few companies because they get a higher commission from those providers.  The truth is, there are dozens of reputable Arizona health insurance plans and all of them should be considered.

In a recent article I found at Anderson Insurance Services, “What Should You Look for in Arizona Health Insurance Plans?” I learned a lot about the most popular options in individual health insurance.  For example, few employer group plans are taking advantage of health savings accounts (HSAs).  These plans may have a much higher deductible than most people have had in the past, but they allow members to save money in a tax-deferred account and use it to pay for certain medical expenses.  Unlike a flexible spending account, HSAs actually let you keep the money year after year and most of them offer investment options.  By mitigating some of the financial risks associated with high deductible health plans (HDHPs), these Arizona health insurance plans make it possible to pay lower monthly premiums.

Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) are designed to lower a member’s out-of-pocket costs, but their monthly premiums are also quite a bit higher than HDHPs. These plans will seem more like the plans offered by employers and most people find them easier to use, but they are not always the most affordable option.  If you expect to go on a lot of doctor’s appointments, a PPO usually makes sense because they are a predictable plan that is easy to manage.

Even if you work with a reputable broker, be careful to read the fine print.  Your broker should be able to explain the Arizona health insurance plans they sell and give you a good understanding of the plan’s limitations.