About Low-Cost Health Insurance Plans in Pennsylvania

Searching for low-cost health insurance plans in Pennsylvania can be daunting. However, individuals and families without employer-sponsored coverage still have a wide range of alternatives in the Keystone State. Of course, not all plans offer equal benefits. Prospective applicants should take stock of their health status and budget parameters to gauge which plans will work best for them.

General Advice

• It pays to understand some general concepts when selecting an insurance plan. Applicants should compare monthly premium payments, annual deductibles, co-payment rates and co-insurance percentages. Low-cost plans typically feature the lowest premiums with the highest deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance arrangements. Remember that bargain insurance plans generally offer less coverage than more expensive plans. This means that while some plans may be incredibly cheap, they may also require policyholders to pay more money out-of-pocket for medical services and products. The ideal personal health insurance plan provides a balance of reasonable premiums and adequate benefits.

Private Health Insurance Providers in Pennsylvania

• Myriad health insurance companies operate in Pennsylvania. Rates and coverage vary greatly from firm to firm. Companies quote prices on a case-by-case basis, so applicants should expect to spend some time researching plans from multiple providers to see which options offer optimal terms for their particular needs. GoHealthInsurance.com lists some of the most popular health insurance companies in Pennsylvania on its website. These providers include Aetna, First Priority, Celtic, Highmark, United Health One, Time Insurance and IHC Health Solutions.

Public Health Insurance Assistance Programs in Pennsylvania

• For those Pennsylvania residents who cannot afford adequate private health insurance, various agencies organize a number of government-sponsored public health programs designed to help people with limited incomes obtain free or low-cost coverage. Restrictions apply to most programs, but eligible applicants will receive assistance at little or no cost.

Medicare and Medicaid

• Pennsylvania's primary public health insurance plans for adults consist of Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare is a social insurance program of the federal government that provides qualifying senior citizens and certain disabled Americans with health care. Medicaid, on the other hand, is a state-run means-tested program that offers low-income residents health-care services.

adultBasic

• The Pennsylvania Insurance Department has an alternative health assistance plan for residents who cannot get access to Medicaid. This plan is called adultBasic. Launched in 2002, this program was implemented to cover the basic health-care needs of Pennsylvanians between 19 and 65 who have no health insurance. Recipients enjoy basic benefits, including full or partial coverage for preventative care, physician services, in-patient and out-patient hospital services, and emergency care.

Additional Public Programs

• Many other public health-care programs exist in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's Children's Health Insurance Program, or PaCHIP as it is often called, provides health insurance to all uninsured kids and teens up to age 19. No income eligibility limits apply. For most families, CHIP is free, while those with incomes above a set limit only have to pay a low monthly premium and co-payments for certain services.

  As for women's programs, the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare has lots of health insurance plans and assistance initiatives to help women get the care they need. For instance, the Healthy Beginnings program gives temporary health insurance to pregnant women. Then there's the Healthy Women Project, which provides free cancer-prevention screenings for low-income females. Additionally, the Pennsylvania SelectPlan offers free family-planning and sexual health services, including STD testing, emergency contraception, birth control, pap smears and breast exams.