There are many different options for those who are uninsured and understanding the options that are available can help you to find affordable insurance solutions for your family. Realize that no insurance plan is perfect and if you are on a budget then you may need to take lesser coverage at some point. Understanding your insurance options is important in order to make an informed choice.

1. EMPLOYER BASED INSURANCE – This form of insurance is usually, but not always the cheapest way to insure your family. Your employer will usually get a group rate, which will be a discount off of the full insurance premiums and then most companies will subsidize the insurance premiums for their employees and their families which will add up to more savings. These plans tend to include things like check-ups, routine health screenings and doctor’s office visits plus usually includes dental and vision insurance for a small additional charge. This type of plan tends to be more affordable than private insurance especially for families. When at all possible finding a job with insurance for either yourself or your spouse is the best way to insure your family.
2. GOVERNMENT INSURANCE PLANS – The government does have in place select health insurance plans that can offer insurance to those for whom insurance is out of reach. Each insurance plan they offer has several qualifying markers, usually including being income eligible, as well as being either a select age group or having a certain set of circumstances. Although everyone is not eligible for government run health plans if you are in a low income bracket, it may be good to consult with someone from your Department of Social Services to find out what options are available to you.
3. PRIVATE PAY INSURANCE – Private pay insurance is insurance that you pay for and take out completely on your own through an insurance company. Most of the private pay insurance plans tend to cost more than the group insurance plans offered by an employer. The main reason for this is that the insurance is quoted for an individual and when you buy with a group, you usually receive a group discount plus most employers will pay partial premiums for you. With private insurance the full amount of the premiums are paid by you directly. There are some more affordable options of private pay insurance that you should be aware of.
   1. HMO – An HMO or Health Maintenance Organization is usually a more affordable option for those seeking health insurance. Using an HMO means seeing a primary care provider for referrals to specialists and due to that many people shy away from this form of insurance, however it is a more affordable insurance option that should definitely be considered by those who are seeking a more affordable means for insuring their family.
   2. PPO – A PPO offers a more affordable option over traditional private pay plans. With this option you will receive full coverage if you go through your network physician but you may choose to see other doctors outside of your network but will receive a lesser benefit by doing so. This still tends to be a more affordable option to traditional major medical coverage.
   3. Catastrophic Insurance Coverage – Many companies are also referring to this type of insurance as Cancer Care insurance. It is designed to help pay for long hospital stays and the high cost treatment of long term illnesses. Although, this option will not cover routine doctor’s office visits, it will help pay for those large medical bills associated with long term health issues.