1) Picking the plan with the highest deductible, lowest monthly costs. Plans with a large deductible always seem like an attractive option due to low monthly premiums. However, if someone cannot meet the deductible in case of an emergency or illness then they will be stuck with a large bill. When choosing a plan, ask yourself if you would be able to cover the deductible immediately in case of an emergency—if you can't cover it then consider a lower deductible.

2) Not purchasing maternity coverage when pregnancy is a possibility. Maternity coverage isn't covered in every health insurance plan. If couples are considering pregnancy in the near future or could possibly get pregnant, then maternity coverage is a must.

3) Choosing a plan with high copayments, co-insurance rates for health care services and prescriptions. Almost every health insurance plan requires a copayment at the time of a health care visit so find a plan with an affordable copayment. Copayments vary for physician visits, prescriptions and hospital services, but there's always a set amount of payment that is required. Co-insurance rates get really expensive for surgeries and hospital visits since you are required to pay a percentage of the rendered services and the rate varies.

Continue Reading for Free

Register and gain access to:

  • Breaking benefits news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
  • Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
  • Critical converage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.