Saturday, March 25th
2023 Health Insurance Plan Reviews
Healthcare Marketplace
- More than 18 million people have shopped for health insurance here
- Easy-to-use online platform
- Get recommendations or browse all plans
- Health insurance from several different insurers
- Get quotes online or from a licensed agent via toll-free number
- "A+" rated by the BBB
You should be aware from the start that Healthcare Marketplace is not the same thing as the federal marketplace for health insurance. While this service can indeed help you get subsidized coverage that satisfies the ACA minimum requirements, Healthcare Marketplace is a site offered by privately-owned Health Network Group and not by the government.
18M+ people have used this site
Now that we've got that cleared up, let's talk about what you can do with the Healthcare Marketplace service. After all, more than 18 million people have used it to shop for affordable coverage. You can get started either by calling the toll-free number on the site to speak with a licensed agent or by clicking on the Get Your Quote button.
See quotes with no personal data needed
Let's assume you decide to check out your options online. The quote button will take you to an initial quote page showing plan choices in your area (seeming to detect our location from our browser). You can change the settings if needed: zip code, household income and size, who needs coverage, and so forth. If your parameters line up with what's needed to qualify for a tax credit (sometimes referred to as a subsidy), you'll see that at the bottom of the page.
Terrific interface
The interface here is gorgeous, if that's not too strong a word. Featured at the top, you'll find Healthcare Marketplace's recommendations for the lowest price plan, the plan with the highest coverage, and the one representing extra savings. Below that, you'll see all of the possible options for the details entered as a profile. You can also choose to sort them by network, insurer, premium cost, and so on.
Vast array of health insurance choices
For our test case of a 25-year-old male in Florida, Healthcare Marketplace offered hundreds of matching health insurance plans. Available insurers included most of the ones we saw elsewhere (Ambetter, Cigna, Blue Cross, United Healthcare, and Oscar), and a few that we hadn't seen before, like Aetna CVS and AvMed. We found lower premiums here than anywhere else we looked, with a basic Oscar plan coming in at just $4.91/month after the subsidy was applied, and several plans from Oscar and Ambetter for under $30/month.
Compare Plans would be nice
The only feature missing here that would be really helpful is a "compare plans" button; without it, you're left scrolling through all of the quotes and hoping you can keep track of which ones stand out. Of course, you can always focus on the three recommended plans and spare yourself the hassle, or call Healthcare Marketplace's toll-free number to get the help of an agent as you sort through the options.
You'll always have to finish via phone
You're going to wind up speaking with an agent either way, because when you go to enroll in a particular health insurance plan, the final step tells you that "an enrollment specialist will be calling you shortly to assist you with finishing your application and answer any questions that you may have" . We're not totally thrilled with that - there are other companies that let you complete your enrollment online and pay for it then and there - but it's not a red flag or anything concerning. It's just not quite as well-rounded as we'd prefer.
Perfect grade from the BBB
We're pleased to note that Healthcare Marketplace's parent company, Health Network Group, has an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau. We were surprised that we didn't find much consumer feedback beyond that - but in an industry like health insurance and related enrollment platforms, it could be that "no news is good news" .
Great way to shop for health insurance
Healthcare Marketplace stands out because of the number of insurers and policies it offers, the interface that gives you three recommendations, and the ability to browse at a really specific level before providing any personal information. The company has a solid reputation, and we're not worried about the limited feedback. We give Healthcare Marketplace our strong recommendation to anyone looking to get health insurance.
More Health Insurance Plan Reviews
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.
Health Insurance Plan FAQ
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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