About Affordable Adult Health Insurance in Pennsylvania

Finding affordable health insurance can be complicated. Adults in Pennsylvania without employer-sponsored insurance have numerous options available. Some options may be better than others depending on important factors such as income and health status. Certain types of coverage can be quite expensive, yet going without health insurance altogether poses significant risks. Individuals should carefully consider their health needs and budget restrictions to find the insurance plan that suits them best.

Popular Health Insurance Providers in Pennsylvania

• Many prominent health insurance firms offer coverage to adults in Pennsylvania. Rates will vary on a case by case basis, so there is no set way of determining which company will provide the most affordable coverage except to compare quotes to see which plans offer adequate coverage at acceptable prices. Companies operating in Pennsylvania include Highmark, Blue Cross, Aetna, Celtic, Health America and First Priority.

General Tips

• Understand the difference between affordable health insurance and cheap health insurance. As a rule, the least expensive plans typically offer the least coverage. For instance, some bargain plans won't cover basic checkups, but they will help foot the bill on major expenses such as emergency hospitalization. This may suit adults with no health problems and little need for regular care. However, adults with chronic medical conditions and those requiring more complete coverage will probably have to spend more to get a plan that meets all their needs.

Key Concepts

• Adults in Pennsylvania should be familiar with several crucial concepts when shopping for health insurance. First off is the premium, which constitutes the base price or monthly fee to keep a plan in effect. Next is the deductible, which refers to the annual amount that a policy holder must spend before the insurance starts covering any expenses. Coinsurance determines the percentage of medical costs after the deductible threshold that will be covered by the company and the percentage that the policy holder has to pay. Finally, there's the copayment, which is a fixed amount that must be paid out of pocket for services such as office visits. An out-of-pocket maximum usually applies to most plans, stipulating the annual limit that one will have to spend in coinsurance and copayments before the insurance covers the rest. The cheapest plans typically have the highest deductibles, coinsurance, copayments and out-of-pocket maximums.

Pennsylvania Public Health Insurance Programs

• Pennsylvania has a variety of state-sponsored public health insurance programs to help low-income residents who cannot afford coverage on their own. Restrictions apply, but for those who are eligible these programs offer reliable coverage at little or no cost.

Medicaid and Medicare

• Pennsylvania's Medicaid program provides low-earning residents and disabled citizens with health coverage. Medicaid recipients receive a card which allows medical institutions to bill the state on their behalf for services such as outpatient hospital care and regular checkups. Medicare, a similar program, also provides eligible senior citizens in Pennsylvania health insurance.

Pennsylvania adultBasic

• The Pennsylvania Insurance Department administers an alternative to Medicaid which is called adultBasic. This program serves to cover eligible low-income adults who do not have insurance and do not qualify for Medicaid. A waiting list exists for applicants since state officials have limited funding for the program. Those accepted into the adultBasic program will receive benefits such as coverage for primary care, hospitalization and maternity care.

Programs for Women

• The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare offers several health assistance programs specifically for eligible adult women. The Healthy Beginnings program provides coverage for pregnant women, while the SelectPlan includes free family planning services such as checkups, pap smears, STD testing, emergency contraception and prescription birth control. In addition, the Pennsylvania Department of Health operates the Healthy Women Program, which is a free breast and cervical cancer early detection service for low-income women.