How to Compare Medical Plans in California

When you need information about health insurance in California, start your research with the California Department of Insurance. This agency provides written information and a consumer telephone line to assist you in understanding health insurance in California. Visiting websites, including the insurers' websites, to obtain plan information will provide you with the information you need to compare your California medical plan options.

Instructions

• 1

  Go to the California Department of Insurance's website and locate the Consumer Guide to Health Insurance page. The information contained in the consumer guide will give you the tools to understand different health insurance plan options to make a knowledgeable comparison of medical plans. The site also contains information about Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid plan. If you need more explanation, call the California Department of Insurance's consumer hot line at 800-927-HELP.

• 2

  Go to websites that allow you to input your California zip code to search for available medical plans. Websites such as eHealthInsurance.com will provide you a selection of insurance companies and their plan options. A side-by-side display of options will show plan types and out-of-pockets costs such as deductibles and co-insurances.

• 3

  Visit the websites of several health insurers that offer individual health insurance plans to California residents. Insurers such as Kaiser Permanente, Anthem, California Blue Shield and United Healthcare display plan options on their websites. You can also complete provider searches to confirm that your doctors participate in the insurance networks. If you need more details, call the insurers to inquire about plan exclusions and limitations.

• 4

  Compare plan costs, including policy premiums, deductibles and co-insurance levels. Also, review each provider network and determine how suitable each one is for you. Decide what plan type you prefer, as PPOs allow more flexibility in the providers you may see but HMOs are less expensive. Last, compare each plan's specific benefits covered, its exclusions and its limitations.

• 5

  Create a list to compare the plans side-by-side. Input the information you've gathered to compare one medical plan to another. Contact a California-licensed health insurance agent who can assist you in evaluating your comparison and can help with the application process. You can also apply directly on the insurers' websites or by calling the insurers.