Common health insurance questions answered: Should my spouse and I integrate our health insurance policies?
Steve Chapoton
| 2 min read
First comes love, then comes marriage…then come a lot of scary, but important, decisions! One critical decision many newlyweds face is deciding what the right health insurance policy is for the needs of their soon to be expanding family.
When you’re looking to buy health insurance for your family, be sure to focus on these key elements:
- Available coverage for dependents and maternity services
- If you plan to have kids in the future, or already have children, consider the benefits available for pre-and-post-natal care, giving birth, immunizations and child health care. Not all plans provide maternity benefits, but if children are on your horizon, it is important to check whether or not your plan includes this coverage.
- Choice of doctors and hospitals included in the plan
- If your primary care physician is covered by your spouses’ policy but not yours, this may outweigh the lower out-of-pocket costs in your plan since you would pay more to visit your doctor who is not covered by your plan.
- Monthly premium
- Compare premiums with coinsurance and deductible amounts since it may be more beneficial to have a lower premium for a higher coinsurance
Every family is different in their needs and priorities when it comes to health insurance. Understanding your options is the best approach before deciding on whose plan to join. Talking with a health insurance professional can help you better understand what each plan provides and certain costs and benefits associated with them.
Have more questions regarding health insurance? Ask a question, see answers and learn about health insurance on Health Insurance Central.
