Where Can You Get the Best Health Insurance?
About half of Americans have health insurance from their employer. But what if you're not one of them? Not only can it be risky to go without insurance - one trip to the ER for kidney stones can easily result in a bill of $75,000 or more - but the IRS will also penalize you for not having qualifying health coverage. Ouch.
The good news is that you have coverage options that might come with a tax credit used to reduce your monthly premiums, if you need to find health insurance on your own. Those plans come through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, but if you've tried to navigate the government site on your own, you already know it can be confusing at best.
Thursday, February 2nd
2023 Health Insurance Plan Reviews
Health Markets
Health Markets has enrolled more than six million people in health insurance coverage since 2010. This service is available in all 50 states plus DC, offers policies from over 200 carriers, and has options for getting your plan with an agent in person, over the phone, or completely online. Over 90% of Health Markets' users give the platform a five-star rating, keeping this service in our #1 spot among providers offering health insurance quotes online.
Health Insurance.org
Health Insurance.org is one of our favorite resources. Start by becoming a better-informed consumer through all of the helpful articles on the site, then use the linked quote platform to get a plan that matches what you need. You'll be assigned a licensed agent who can answer your questions, or simply go through the steps to get signed up directly through the website. This service has some advantages over most rival sites, and it's a great place to go for health insurance.
Healthcare Marketplace
Healthcare Marketplace, not to be confused with the federal website for getting insurance, makes it easy to see quotes for numerous policy options in your state. You won't have to enter any contact information to view them, and you only have to talk with a licensed agent when you're ready to complete the enrollment process (but you can call anytime to ask questions or get recommendations). You'll probably get more policy choices here than just about anywhere else, so we highly recommend giving Healthcare Marketplace a try if you're searching for the right health insurance.
eHealth Insurance
eHealth has been around for over 25 years, connecting Americans with health insurance over the internet. This platform can help you get the coverage you need, subsidized or not, plus options for short-term insurance, vision/dental, and so on. Most people have a fantastic experience with this platform and appreciate the 24/7 customer service from licensed agents. However, the severity of the small amount of negative feedback we found keeps eHealth from landing one of our highest ratings.
New Plan Options
New Plan Options works like many of the health insurance platforms in our review: enter your information and get connected to a third-party service to view numerous matching plans in your area. Customer service is right at hand if you need help via live chat or toll-free number, and the agency is licensed in most of the 50 states. But, with little feedback from clients of New Plan Options and nothing that really makes this service stand out, you might want to look at the higher-ranked companies in our review first.
Insurance Quotes
Insurance Quotes isn't our favorite site for getting health insurance - or any other kind of coverage. This site, along with several other URLs, is just a "storefront" used by All Web Leads, a lead-generation company that doesn't specialize in anything it offers and that isn't a licensed insurance agency. This platform will likely make it take twice as long to get a policy, and you won't be connected with as many insurers as you'll find elsewhere.
Health Insurance.com
Health Insurance.com bills itself as the one-stop shop for all things insurance: ACA plans, non-subsidized plans, Medicare, dental, short-term and more. It's not a bad site to use to get some information, and the quote process itself was satisfactory. However, when you see that the site passes you along to one of the higher-rated platforms in our review, and that the company behind Health Insurance.com gets a near-failing grade from the BBB, you'll understand why this is one of our lowest-ranked options for getting health insurance.
Agile Health Insurance
Using the Agile Health Insurance website to get medical coverage feels like a maze: at every turn, you'll find a different partner in the process - potentially leaving you unsure where to go for help if you have a question or concern. Not only does this platform offer nothing noteworthy compared to other health insurance sites, but the company also has a bad reputation with the Better Business Bureau. Look elsewhere when shopping for health insurance.
First Quote Health
First Quote Health isn't a site you should rely on to get health insurance. They require you to take a phone call to even see quotes, and the company is just a lead generator: there's no one on staff that's a licensed insurance agent. Previous users of this service would advise you to stay well away from First Quote Health unless you're a glutton for punishment and like getting spam.
CoverPlus Health
CoverPlus Health should be the last place you look for health insurance. You won't be able to reach anyone at the company if you have questions, and your application will undoubtedly be passed along to a third-party service (or more than one) that you could just as easily use from the start. This site is unprofessional, and that's being generous. CoverPlus Health gets our lowest possible rating.
Continued from above...
Don't worry, there's more good news: there are a number of health insurance platforms that can help you sort through your options and get coverage. You won't pay extra for using one of these resources, and you'll often get the benefit of knowledgeable guidance from a licensed insurance agent. If you don't understand the difference between PPO and HMO or between deductibles and coinsurance, you should make sure you have an expert on hand to walk you through the process of picking a plan.
However, not all websites promising to help you with your health insurance are trustworthy. While some are exactly as they appear - services staffed by licensed agents, authorized to act on your behalf to enroll you in a plan - others are just lead generators who get paid to pass along your information to any number of insurance agencies, marketing companies, and who knows where else.
How can you tell which health insurance websites are on the up-and-up? Keep an eye on these criteria as you decide where to start shopping for coverage:
- Licensed Agents. As we mentioned, the reputable platforms offering health insurance will always have an option to work with a licensed agent - usually well before you ever provide any personal information.
- Upfront Quotes. Do you have to enter a lot of details before you can see quotes for policies in your area? That can be a red flag. We prefer health insurance sites that let you enter a zip code and some limited demographic info (usually male/female, age, and income range), then show you a preliminary set of matching plans.
- Support Available. How easy is it to get help if you get stuck in the application process? Will the company advocate for you after you've purchased a health insurance policy? Can you reach someone via phone, live chat, or even in person? Is help offered only during business hours or round-the-clock?
- Ease of Use. How quickly can you see quotes? Can you easily sort out health insurance coverage by premiums, insurers, or any other criteria? Can you apply online and get coverage right away or will a phone call be required to finalize your enrollment?
- Reputation. Lots of health insurance sites talk big, but which ones actually come through? You can determine that by looking at the company's Better Business Bureau rating and any complaints filed there, along with client reviews on third-party sites.
To help you get the medical coverage you need, TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked the best resources for finding health insurance plans. We're confident that this information will make it easy to navigate the often-tricky world of healthcare and buy the right plan for your needs.
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