Today, hospital charges rountinely cost $4,000 to $6,0000 per day.  Should you ever have a catastrophic illness or accident that puts you in the hospital, it is easy for your hospital bills to exceed $40,000 to $50,000 or more. This makes it incredibly important to get the right coverage. With hundreds of plans to select from, it's a formidable task to effectively research and determine which plans are best suited to you, your family and your pocketbook.

Let us help get you covered. Call Us. Not only will we show you different plan options, but we'll assist you through each step of the application process and with any follow-on claims or processing you might have. Working together we can help you avoid all unnecessary hassles and get you to best coverage for your hard earned dollars.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I do if I have a questions?

Please call us at (800) 300-1376 and we will be happy to answer any question you may have.

Why is individual or family health insurance often cheaper than the group insurance from my employer?

Individual health insurance typically costs less than group insurance. This price difference is mostly due to medical underwriting, whereby insurance companies can deny or limit coverage based on an applicant’s health status. In addition, individual and family health insurance policies often have high deductibles, limited maternity and limited prescription drug coverage. As you shop for health individual or family health insurance please pay particular attention to these items.

Can children over 18 be insured on a family health insurance policy?

Yes. Insurance companies will typically insure children of the policyholder through age 23 if they are enrolled as full time students. Otherwise they are required to obtain their own insurance when reaching age 18.

How do I obtain health insurance?

As part of the application process, the insurance company will request that you fill out an application that includes a health statement for each member of the family that you intend to insure. Based on that information the company will make one of the following decisions:

Accept all or certain family members,
Accept certain family members with limitations,
Increase the price by changing the rate from “preferred” to “standard”,
Exclude certain preexisting conditions or
Decline the application.

What is an exclusion or preexisting condition?

An insurance underwriter may accept an application but exclude coverage for “preexisting conditions.” For example, you may have had recent knee surgery and the insurance carrier will accept your application excluding all claims related to your injured knee. Such exclusions may last for a specific period of time or the life of the policy. Typically ifi you have had continuous coverage for the prior 18 months, the insurance compnay cannot exclude a pre-existing condition.

What is COBRA?

COBRA is 1985 federal legislation that requires employers with more than 20 employees to allow employees that leave the company to continue their insurance in the company plan for 18 to 36 months. The employee is required to reimburse the employer for the cost of the insurance plus up to a 2 percent administrative fee.

How does age, gender and tobacco use affect the price of health insurance?

The older you are the higher the cost of the policy. Gender has less impact except if there is maternity coverage. And finally tobacco use may increase the cost of the policy up to 35% for certain insurers.

How do I know if I am getting the best price?

Health insurers are required to file their health plan prices in each state that they do business. Insurers then must sell each benefit plan at the filed price. You will not find a health policy on our website at a better price. Guaranteed.

When will I get an increase?

Each carrier has different rules. Some increase prices on January 1 of each year, regardless of when you sign up. Others increase prices on the policy anniversary. And some will also increase prices on the policyholder’s birthday. To determine a particular insurance carrier’s policy, please call us.

How long does it take to apply? When will my effective date be?

For most carriers that we work with you can apply online or print out the application, complete it and mail it in. Once a completed application is received by the inurance carrier, it typically takes at least two to 4 weeks to be accepted.

Some carriers only have effective dates on the first of the month. Others will start coverage during the month. If your requested start date cannot be accommodated by the insurer, you will be alerted as to the available start dates for that insurer.

Why should I use Specialists in Health Insurance Services?

You cannot get better prices than at Specialists in Health Insurance Services. Guaranteed by law! We are experts in individual health insurance and understand the complexities of the business. That expertise can help you save money buy purchasing the best policy for your situation.

How do I know which carrier is right for me?

There are many elements to consider when choosing an insurance carrier, including price, physician network and benefit design. Some carriers have lower prices initially but raise them quickly. Depending on the length of time you expect to hold the policy will help determine if it is right for you.

Some carriers have smaller networks and than others. Certain carriers require referrals to see physician specialists. We can help you sort through these issues to choose the best insurance carrier for you.

How do I choose the right plan?

You need to determine which benefits are important to you. Some of the more important things to consider are listed below.

-The hospitals and physicians that are in the network of the plan you choose.
-Doctor visit co-pay.
-Prescription benefit and copay.
-Annual deductible.
-Co-Insurance.
-Out of pocket annual maximum.
-Lifetime Maximum Coverage
-Premium
-Health Savings Account Qualified Plans (tax advantage plans)
-When you are evaluating plans on our site, keep in mind that we will help you make the right choice. Plan selection is an important part of our service.

What is an HSA?

A Health Savings Account, or HSA combines high deductible health insurance with a tax-favored savings account. Money in the savings account helps pay the deductible. Once the deductible is met, the insurance starts paying. Money left in the savings account earns interest and is yours to keep. There is no “use it or lose it” restriction with an HSA.

Who is eligible for an HSA?

Anyone who is not entitled to Medicare can accumulate tax-favored savings for healthcare needs. You must have a qualified high deductible plan to receive the benefits. Such a plan must have a minimum deductible.

How does the prescription drug benefit work?

The prescription drug benefit for individual and family plans varies greatly. Some plans limit the annual benefit and others have a deductible. Please closely review the drug benefit before selecting a health plan.

Will using your service cost me anything?

All of our services are provided at no extra cost to you, the consumer. If you buy a health insurance plan through us you'll pay the regular monthly premium to the health insurance company you chose, but you'll pay nothing to us. Our fees are paid by the insurance companies in the form of commissions, which are built into the premium amount.

Why should I shop with you rather than buying health insurance elsewhere?

We combine broad experience with a comprehensive understanding of the health insurance industry, carriers and individual insurance plans.

Broad Selection: Because we are a health insurance agency and not a health insurance company, we can offer plans from multiple insurance companies in your area. We offer a broad selection of health insurance companies and plans, which allows you find the plan that best fits your needs.
Best Prices: Health insurance rates are filed with and regulated by your state's Department of Insurance. Whether you buy from us, your local agent, or directly from the health insurance company, you'll pay the same monthly premium for the same plan.
Fast Processing: We offers the fastest way to apply for health insurance because many of the plans offered on our website can be submitted and signed electronically, eliminating the need to manually print and mail applications. This reduces average processing time significantly.
Excellent Customer Care: We believe that you'll enjoy the best customer experience available in the health insurance industry. Our licensed health insurance agents and the knowledgeable representatives that staff our customer care center will help you make the best decision possible, considering your unique gaosl and circumstances.

How can I view quotes and shop online through your website?

Shopping with us is simple. After entering your zip code and some basic information about yourself, your family or your business, you'll be provided with a list of health insurance plans available in your area. You may refine these results or sort and organize them in various ways. You'll also have the opportunity to select several of them at a time to make more detailed plan comparisons. Once you've selected a plan, you'll fill out an application, providing more information about yourself, your family or your employees, and about your health history. Once your application is complete, HealthPlanOne will work with the health insurance company to help you receive a quick coverage determination.

What is an HMO?

HMOs are managed care plans that provide care for enrollees by contracting with specific health care providers to provide specified benefits. Many HMOs require enrollees to see a primary care physician (PCP) chosen by the member who will refer them to a specialist if deemed necessary.

HMO plans often do not include deductibles, but copays are charged per office. HMO plans typically allow a member to have lower out-of-pocket healthcare costs, but require the member to forego some choice and flexibility with regard to selecting physicians and hospitals.

Additionally, HMOs do not cover non-emergency services received from providers outside the network. HMOs do not require members to submit claims to the insurance carrier.

What is Coinsurance?

The amount that you may be required to pay for covered medical services after you have satisfied any plan deductible. Coinsurance is typically expressed as a percentage of the allowable charge for a service rendered by a healthcare provider. For example, if your insurance company covers 80% of the allowable charge for a specific service, you may be required to cover the remaining 20% as coinsurance. Please note that definitions vary across insurance companies.

What is a PPO (Preferred Provider Organization)?

If a member of a PPO, you will seek treatment from an approved network of providers, or you can see healthcare providers outside the network. These healthcare providers have been contracted by the insurance company to provide services at a discounted rate. Normally you can see any doctor or specialist within the network at your own discretion, and will not be required to select a PCP. Usually you will pay small copay and satisfy a deductible before benefits are paid. If you go outside the PPO network for healthcare services, your share of the bill will be higher.

What are “short-term policies” and are they a good option?

Short term health insurance is a catastrophic health policy intended to last anywhere from one to twelve months. It requires a very short underwriting questionnaire so it’s much easier to obtain that regular insurance; however, pre-existing conditions in the last five years are not covered. We would only recommend these plans for one to two months time frame. Often a major medical plan can be obtained for not much more money.