Health Insurance

MA & NH Residents Only

If you’ve ever been sick or injured, you know how important it is to have health insurance coverage. Health insurance pays for things big and small, from a lab test that might cost $75 to a hospital stay for major surgery that could cost thousands of dollars. It gives you peace of mind of knowing that no matter what kind of care or procedure you or a family member might require, you won’t have to worry about shouldering the cost on your own.

As important as health insurance is, it can also be very confusing. To make smart health insurance choices, you need a basic understanding of all the key terms, acronyms and concepts. This section answers common questions about health insurance, provides information about different types of policies, and discusses how to compare one policy with another. There’s also an “Life Happens” interactive healthcare cost estimator that lets you view the average cost of common medical procedures, making it clear that health insurance coverage is a necessity for anyone.

Who Needs It?

Health insurance is one type of insurance you’re pretty much guaranteed to use. We all need medical attention from time to time, and some of us need it quite frequently. When care is needed, you want to focus on getting better not on how you’re going to come up with the money to pay your medical bills. A good health insurance plan allows you to focus on what’s most important, your physical well being.

Is there anyone who doesn’t need health insurance? Not really. Even if you’re young, healthy and haven’t had to see a doctor in years, you never know when you might be involved in an accident or be diagnosed with a serious medical condition. While your health insurance coverage will pay for things that aren’t too costly like routine doctor’s visits or lab tests, the main reason to have coverage is to have protection against the potentially catastrophic expenses of serious illness or injury.

Health Insurance 101

content used with permission from lifehappens.org