How Can Health Insurance Be Used
If you are moving or traveling between homes and states, it is important to know whether your health insurance will cover you when you visit a new location. Most plans are limited to emergencies or life-threatening injuries only. If you have to go to an out-of-state hospital or clinic that doesn’t accept your plan, you may not be able to get the care you need and could end up with higher out-of-pocket costs.
There are several ways that you can use your health insurance out of state. For example, if you have an HMO and you live in New York, but are traveling to Florida for the winter, you can buy a travel health insurance policy that covers your medical needs while you are out of state.
You can also buy a Medicare Advantage plan in one state and take it with you when you are in another. In this case, you’ll need to check the terms of your Medicare Advantage policy to see what out-of-state coverage you’re covered for.
How Can Health Insurance Be Used Out of State?
Most health insurance plans have a ‘network’ of doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities that they have negotiated deals with. You pay less for in-network services than for out-of-network ones. This can help you save money on your premium and out-of-pocket costs.
Understanding Health Insurance
Depending on the type of plan you have, it will also have a deductible and copay. The deductible is the amount you must pay out-of-pocket each year before your health insurance company starts to cover the costs of your medical care. The copay is a flat fee you can use to pay for services and products that your health plan doesn’t cover.
Medicaid and Medicare are federal government-run programs that provide medical insurance to those who qualify. They are often a good option for those who are low-income and have no other means of getting medical care.
If you’re not eligible for these programs, individual market insurance (also called health insurance sold through the state marketplaces) is the best way to get health insurance in your new state. It is regulated and marketed at the state level, and is available to people with pre-existing conditions.
Explanation of Health Insurance
But there are some downsides to buying an individual market health insurance plan in your new state, especially if you have chronic conditions or need ongoing prescription drug coverage. In addition, many of these plans limit their networks to local providers, so if you move between states, you’ll need to find a plan that expands its network to include local doctors and hospitals.
You can also consider purchasing a multi-state plan, which is available through some of the state-based and federally facilitated health insurance exchanges. These plans are similar to PPOs, but they also offer coverage in other states and may have additional features.
Unlike the plans that are sold through the state health insurance exchanges, multi-state health insurance plans don’t offer as much choice in provider networks or other benefits. They do, however, offer more flexibility in the form of out-of-network coverage, so you can be sure that you’ll have access to doctors and hospitals when you’re out of state. This type of plan is also a great way to get affordable coverage for yourself and your family.
