Individual Health Insurance Plans in Florida

Choosing a health insurance plan can be complicated, whether you are searching for a single-person plan, a family plan, or some other type of health insurance plan. The Healthcare Marketplace does make the process easier, though, since you can apply in one place for a healthcare plan that suits your situation as well as your income level and needs.

Everyone has heard of Obamacare but not as many realize that the official name of this law is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This program can provide health insurance options for families, as well as individuals, and even base it on your income level.

This bill became the law of the land in 2010 and was the first change to the health insurance system in the United States in decades. It is created to offer health insurance benefits to individuals and families at a rate that is affordable but will still offer quality healthcare. No health insurance company can turn down someone due to a pre-existing condition, which is super important since that was an issue previously for people who have ongoing health conditions when they lost their job or lost their health insurance benefits for some reason in their new insurance would not cover them. This can be life-threatening and very devastating to the quality of life of individuals as well as families.

Before you apply on the Healthcare Marketplace Exchange online, you should know and understand the four “metal” categories. This is a rating system of health insurance plans that are available, and they include bronze, silver, gold, and platinum level. These different categories will show you how much you will have to pay for health care but do not have anything to do with the quality of care that you would receive under each plan.

Your total cost for health care will include a monthly premium that you will pay to your health insurance company. This has to be paid every month whether you needed to use any medical services or not. You may end up with some out-of-pocket costs, such as a deductible or copay, on top of all of that. You should definitely consider both of these types of costs when you are shopping for a health care insurance plan.

You also need to keep in mind that there are a variety of other plans available in the way they are set up for individuals and families alike. There are many different types of insurance available for individuals. These can include insurance through an employer as well as through the Healthcare Marketplace. These different types of health insurance include Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), High-Deductible Health Plan with or without a Health Savings Account, Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO), Catastrophic Plan, Point-of-Service Plan (POS).

To apply for Obamacare, you must register on the Healthcare Marketplace site and then complete the application. The open enrollment period is from Nov. 1 to December 17 each year for people to apply for the new, upcoming year. There are certain circumstances, though, that may qualify you to apply during a special enrollment period. Those situations include the loss of a job and your health insurance, a death in your family, a divorce, the birth of a child, and several others.

If you do find yourself in need of health insurance benefits but are not eligible for one of these types of qualifying events, you may be able to enroll in some type of short-term health insurance plan depending on which state you live in.