Ms. Career Girl

Private Health Insurance for Every Woman

by · Nov 27, 2013

A lot of discussion has been held recently about the cost and availability of health insurance for workers. In the US, employers with over fifty staff are now legally required to provide health insurance for their employees, but that still leaves out a great deal of people, including a good portion of you, our readership. Fortunately, for those of you still building your careers or launching out on your own, there is still the option to purchase privately-owned health insurance In the US, just as we wrote about way before the rollout of Obamacare.

For US citizens, these plans are the ones you will find in the Health Insurance Marketplace as part of the roll-out of the Affordable Care Act. Other countries also have individual providers and options, such as the UK-based Health-on-line.

Who Needs Private Health Insurance?

If you’re reading this, odds are that you do. Nobody expects to undergo a major illness or injury, but they can happen at any time, and enduring one while uninsured can lead to financial ruin. There are many people who are currently going without insurance because they feel they can’t afford it, when in truth it is more likely that they can’t afford not to. The biggest groups that require private insurance are: The unemployed, part-time workers, and self-employed people, as well as retirees and small-business owners. Fortunately, for many people, there are potential subsidies and assistance programs that can relieve or eliminate the cost of insurance, depending on where you live and your income. Many websites are available to help you determine which programs you qualify for, so make the most of your available resources.

Things To Consider When Shopping for Private Health Insurance

Just like any other important purchase or investment, there are many factors to choosing a plan which provides you the most coverage value for your dollar. These are questions that every woman must ask herself, because no one understands your needs and your body the way you do. If possible, consult your doctor, which may help you get a better sense of what is needed.

  • Find out if the plan you are considering offers prescription drug coverage, as well as the co-payment on drugs, and whether name-brand drugs are covered, or only generics.
  • Will the plan have a limit to your yearly doctor’s office visits, and what is your office visit co-pay?
  • Find out the co-pay for hospital stays, ER visits, and professional services like x-rays and lab tests.
  • Do you require the option to add a vision and dental coverage, or pregnancy benefits? What about specialty services like physical or chiropractic therapy?
  • If you have a doctor that you like, try to find a plan where your doctor is part of the provider network.

Shopping for private health insurance is imposing and frightening at first, but it doesn’t have to be. With a little basic knowledge of what you require, and the wealth of tools at your disposal, private health insurance is easier and more affordable than ever. Any professional woman knows to always be prepared for the worst in her career, now it’s time to do the same for your health.

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Nicole P.

Nicole Pieri graduated with a B.A. in English from The College of New Jersey in 2011, and has since decided that jeggings aren’t as cool as she originally thought and that writing for a living online is way better than being a starving artist. Relocating from a cow town in Northern New Jersey to the big city of Philadelphia has brought her some great opportunities and changed her attitude from “always look both ways!” to “I’m probably faster than that bus.” In her spare time she enjoys crocheting and speaking in the third person so that it looks as if she’s important enough for someone else to have written a bio about her.