Health Insurance FAQs
Do you have questions about health insurance? Find answers to frequently asked questions about job-based coverage, insurance claims, benefits, prescription drug assistance, and more!
What Is the Public Plan Option, and How Does It Affect Health Reform?
Learn more about the public plan option, the advantages and disadvantages of offering such a plan, and its role in healthcare reform.
Learn more about the public plan option, the advantages and disadvantages of offering such a plan, and its role in healthcare reform.
What is Medical Tourism?
Learn more about medical tourism and whether it might be right for you
Learn more about medical tourism and whether it might be right for you
I Might Be Laid Off Soon. Should I See My Doctor Before I Lose My Insurance?
Many people who anticipate losing their coverage wonder if they should try to make the most out of their plan before it's gone. Find out why this may not be such a good idea.
Many people who anticipate losing their coverage wonder if they should try to make the most out of their plan before it's gone. Find out why this may not be such a good idea.
Why Aren't There Generic Versions of Biotechnology Drugs?
Biotechnology drugs improve the quality of life for millions of Americans and make medical miracles happen every day - but can also be very expensive. So why aren't there generic versions of these drugs available already? Learn more about generic biotechnology drugs.
Biotechnology drugs improve the quality of life for millions of Americans and make medical miracles happen every day - but can also be very expensive. So why aren't there generic versions of these drugs available already? Learn more about generic biotechnology drugs.
I Am Unable To Work Due To Disability. What Are My Options For Health Coverage?
Are you or a loved one disabled and unable to work? Find out what your options are for health coverage
Are you or a loved one disabled and unable to work? Find out what your options are for health coverage
What Exactly Is Health Insurance? How Does it Work?
Do you find health insurance to be confusing and overwhelming? Get back to the basics by learning more about exactly what health insurance is and what it's designed to do.
Do you find health insurance to be confusing and overwhelming? Get back to the basics by learning more about exactly what health insurance is and what it's designed to do.
What is Comparative Effectiveness Research?
Comparative effectiveness research is sometimes cited as being key to reforming our healthcare system. Learn more about comparative effectiveness, including what it is and how it has triggered controversy in the health policy community.
Comparative effectiveness research is sometimes cited as being key to reforming our healthcare system. Learn more about comparative effectiveness, including what it is and how it has triggered controversy in the health policy community.
I've Just Been Laid Off. How Will This Affect My Insurance Coverage?
Have you recently been laid off your job? Are you worried about being laid off? Learn more about how a layoff will affect your health insurance coverage.
Have you recently been laid off your job? Are you worried about being laid off? Learn more about how a layoff will affect your health insurance coverage.
Is My Individual Insurance Policy Required To Cover Mental Health Benefits?
Learn about coverage of mental health benefits in the individual market.
Learn about coverage of mental health benefits in the individual market.
How Does the Mental Health Parity Act Affect My Health Coverage?
Learn about the Mental Health Parity Act, including how it might affect your health coverage.
Learn about the Mental Health Parity Act, including how it might affect your health coverage.
How Does the 63-Day Rule Affect My Pre-existing Condition Coverage?
Learn about the requirements for maintaining continuous coverage in order to keep your pre-existing condition covered.
Learn about the requirements for maintaining continuous coverage in order to keep your pre-existing condition covered.
Does Preventive Care Save Money?
Learn more about preventive care and whether it is likely to reduce health spending.
Learn more about preventive care and whether it is likely to reduce health spending.
Will My Health Insurance Coverage Clinical Trials?
Learn more about health insurance coverage of clinical trials.
Learn more about health insurance coverage of clinical trials.
Where Can I Find a Free Clinic?
Learn about how to find a free health care clinic.
Learn about how to find a free health care clinic.
How Do I Obtain Charity Care?
Learn about how to obtain charity care for free or a reduced cost.
Learn about how to obtain charity care for free or a reduced cost.
Is Catastrophic Health Coverage Right For Me?
Learn more about whether catastrophic coverage might be right for you.
Learn more about whether catastrophic coverage might be right for you.
How Is Consumer-Directed Health Care Supposed to Reduce Health Spending?
Learn more about consumer-directed health care and how this type of healthcare financing could work to reduce health spending and contain costs.
Learn more about consumer-directed health care and how this type of healthcare financing could work to reduce health spending and contain costs.
How Would Adoption of Electronic Medical Records Improve Care?
Learn more about how adoption of electronic medical records could improve care.
Learn more about how adoption of electronic medical records could improve care.
I've Never Had a Cavity. Do I Need Dental Insurance?
When looking to cut costs, dental insurance may be something you consider nixing from your budget. Not so fast. Learn about why it may be worthwhile to have dental insurance, even if your teeth are healthy.
When looking to cut costs, dental insurance may be something you consider nixing from your budget. Not so fast. Learn about why it may be worthwhile to have dental insurance, even if your teeth are healthy.
What is a self-funded health plan?
Learn about self-funded health plans and how they differ from fully insured plans.
Learn about self-funded health plans and how they differ from fully insured plans.
How do I elect COBRA coverage?
Find out how to elect COBRA coverage
Find out how to elect COBRA coverage
What is a COBRA qualifying event?
Learn more about COBRA qualifying events and eligibility for coverage
Learn more about COBRA qualifying events and eligibility for coverage
What does COBRA cover?
Learn about the benefits available under COBRA continuation coverage
Learn about the benefits available under COBRA continuation coverage
What Is COBRA Continuation Coverage?
Learn about COBRA coverage, including what it is and who is eligible
Learn about COBRA coverage, including what it is and who is eligible
What Is the Best Health Plan?
Learn more about finding the best health plan, including reasons why health plan rankings may not be the answer.
Learn more about finding the best health plan, including reasons why health plan rankings may not be the answer.
What's the Difference Between Co-pays and Co-insurance?
Learn more about copays and coinsurance, including examples of each and how they differ from each other.
Learn more about copays and coinsurance, including examples of each and how they differ from each other.
Will my health insurance cover my pre-existing condition?
Learn more about how insurance policies treat pre-existing health conditions, and find out whether your pre-existing condition should be covered by your insurance company.
Learn more about how insurance policies treat pre-existing health conditions, and find out whether your pre-existing condition should be covered by your insurance company.
What is the average health insurance premium?
Learn more about health insurance premiums and why they are so difficult to estimate.
Learn more about health insurance premiums and why they are so difficult to estimate.
What is a Pharmacy Benefits Manager?
Learn more about pharmacy benefits managers and the role they play in your prescription drug coverage.
Learn more about pharmacy benefits managers and the role they play in your prescription drug coverage.
Why am I being forced into Medicare at age 65?
Learn more about what happens when a retiree turns 65.
Learn more about what happens when a retiree turns 65.
What is Pay-for-Performance?
Learn more about pay-for-performance, how it could change our healthcare system, and how it might affect you.
Learn more about pay-for-performance, how it could change our healthcare system, and how it might affect you.
My Insurer Is Retroactively Cancelling My Health Coverage. Is This Legal?
Find out why some insurers try to retroactively cancel policies, how you can prevent this from happening, and what you should do if it happens to you.
Find out why some insurers try to retroactively cancel policies, how you can prevent this from happening, and what you should do if it happens to you.
Should I Buy Supplemental Health Insurance?
Information about supplemental health insurance, including what it covers, and advice on whether it is right for you.
Information about supplemental health insurance, including what it covers, and advice on whether it is right for you.
What Was The Clinton Health Plan Proposal About, and Why Did It Fail?
Learn more about the Clinton Health Plan Proposal and why this effort at health care reform failed.
Learn more about the Clinton Health Plan Proposal and why this effort at health care reform failed.
Why Am I Being Charged So Much For COBRA Coverage?
Find out why COBRA premiums may be higher than you thought they would be.
Find out why COBRA premiums may be higher than you thought they would be.
What is the difference between "universal coverage" and a "single-payer system"?
Learn more about universal coverage and single-payer systems, important health care reform concepts
Learn more about universal coverage and single-payer systems, important health care reform concepts
What is the "rationing" of health care?
Find out what rationing of health care means, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Find out what rationing of health care means, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Health Insurance for College Students
Find out what your child's options for health coverage will be when he or she leaves home for college.
Find out what your child's options for health coverage will be when he or she leaves home for college.
Am I eligible for Medicare or Medicaid benefits?
Eligibility requirements for Medicare and Medicaid coverage, including links to local offices that can verify eligibility.
Eligibility requirements for Medicare and Medicaid coverage, including links to local offices that can verify eligibility.
Other Options for Health Insurance
Where to look for health insurance if you do not have it through your job.
Where to look for health insurance if you do not have it through your job.
What is a pre-existing condition exclusion period?
Information about the limitations placed on pre-existing condition exclusion periods.
Information about the limitations placed on pre-existing condition exclusion periods.
Prescription Drug Assistance
Find information about assistance programs that will help you pay for the medication you need.
Find information about assistance programs that will help you pay for the medication you need.
Customary and reasonable costs
What does "customary and reasonable" cost mean, and how will it affect payment for healthcare services?
What does "customary and reasonable" cost mean, and how will it affect payment for healthcare services?
What happens when I lose my job-based health insurance coverage?
Information about insurance options after losing job-based coverage.
Information about insurance options after losing job-based coverage.
My employer does not offer health insurance coverage. Is this legal?
Are employers required to offer job-based health insurance coverage for employees?
Are employers required to offer job-based health insurance coverage for employees?