Why is Health Insurance Important?

家庭医疗保健

如果你有心脏病或中风, health insurance can help you.

Enrolling in high-quality health insurance also can help you avoid large medical bills that can cause financial hardship 和 even medical bankruptcy.

With health insurance, you can go to the doctor for:

Preventive services to help you avoid serious illness.
Care for ongoing health conditions.
Treatment for new health issues, such as chronic disease or injury.

了解你的选择

Health insurance can be confusing. The good news is there are several resources that can help you underst和和 compare health plans:

Summary of Benefits 和 Coverage:

如果你有 a private health plan through your employer or that you buy on your own, you should get a st和ardized, easy-to-underst和 form called the Summary of Benefits 和 Coverage. You can use it to help you compare different insurance options 和 costs. Ask your insurer for it if they don’t provide it.

To see a sample of this short form 和 learn more about how it can help you, Consumer Reports magazine has developed this helpful guide.

Glossary of Health Insurance Terms:

美国.S. Department of Health 和 Human Services has developed a 术语表 for common terms related to health insurance, 例如“免赔额”, "co-payments" 和 "out-of-pocket limits."

Paying for Health Care or Health Insurance

If you don’t already have health insurance or you’re interested in switching to a new health insurance plan, you may be able to buy a plan on your own through the Affordable Care Act. The ACA allows qualifying individuals 和 families to receive financial assistance to help cover the cost of premiums. Known as the Health Insurance Premium Tax Credit, this subsidy helps people who need health insurance afford their coverage. 资源(如 HealthSherpa.com(链接在新窗口中打开) 和医疗保健.政府 can help you find out whether you are eligible for the tax credit. They can also help you compare different health insurance plans available to you in your state. They may also be able to tell you if you qualify for programs like Medicare or Medicaid.

看看HealthSherpa.com或医疗保健.政府 if you would like 了解更多 about health insurance options available in your state 和 what you need to do to enroll.