When it comes to buying health insurance it can be very confusing and overwhelming. The first step would be to find a health insurance plan within your budget. You can do this by contacting the health insurance company or a specialized insurance agent to receive a quote. This is when you will want to evaluate your options. Prior to settling on a plan make sure to know the price and about any out-of-pocket costs the plan will expect you to pay. For example: deductibles, co-insurance, and copay charges. Afterwards, it will be easier for you to ensure all your healthcare needs are met within that plan.

Health insurance companies have a period each year called open enrollment. This is when you are able to start, stop, or change your health insurance plans. Generally, the sign up period is around the end of each year and would give you coverage for the next full year. However, there are a few instances where you can qualify for a special enrollment period. For example: Marriage, gaining a dependent, involuntary loss of coverage, divorce, becoming a U.S citizen, a permanent move, an enrollment error, employer- sponsored plan becomes unaffordable or stops providing minimum value, and a few other qualifying life events. If you qualify for special open enrollment you will have a 60 day window to enroll or switch plans.

With hundreds of different health insurance companies there are thousands of different plans out there. Each company is rated on a letter grading scale (A, B, C, Etc.) which is based on their performance. The grade is calculated based on certain attributes such as financial stability, claim payments, and customer service. Additionally, reaching out to friends, family, or colleagues to find out which plans work for them, could help you in deciding which one may work for you as well.