CheapHealth Insurance in Alabama

This state doesn’t make to the top of the list when it comes to health and healthcare but one thing is sure that this state is always looking for improvement in healthcare. If you are a resident of the Alabama state then you can keep yourself and your loved ones healthy, firstly by maintaining an active lifestyle and eating right, and secondly by enrolling in a good health insurance plan that protects you in case of medical emergency. Alabama’s health insurance market was historically considered least competitive and it still remains a market dominated by Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance company, which is the only insurer offering plans in most of the counties.

Earlier Individual and family health insurance was sold through the federal marketplace by Humana and Blue Cross and Blue Shield and they were later joined by United Healthcare. These three insurers were offering most of the plans in Alabama’s exchange but currently Blue Cross Blue Shield is the major insurer carrier for the Alabama state. At the end of 2016 both United Healthcare and Humana left the Alabama exchange so individual plans were not available on or off Alabama exchange from 2017. Therefore, the enrollees of these insurance companies had to switch to Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, if they wished to remain insured. Blue Cross Blue Shield was the Alabama’s lone exchange insurer in 2018 and was later joined by the Bright Health in the Birmingham area in the same year and it continues to offer coverage in 2019 too. Alabama uses the federally facilitated marketplace, where residents enroll in exchange plans through government healthcare site.

Highlights and Updates from Alabama Health Insurance Marketplace  

• Exchange enrollment in Alabama has been declining since 2017 and there has been about 2% decline in the year 2019 too.
• The federally run Alabama health insurance marketplace gives residents access to affordable health insurance plans, as per their needs and budget.
• Alabama like most of the other U.S. states abides by the federal Open Enrollment Period.
• Alabama health insurance marketplace is run by the federal government and will be open for its residents during the Open Enrollment Period.
• Health insurance is not mandatory in the Alabama state, though after Affordable Care Act coming into effect it created individual mandate, but with President Trump coming to office he eliminated the individual mandate and therefore in 2019 there is no federal requirements for people to enroll in health coverage.
• Health Insurance premiums are lower in the year 2019 compared to 2018.
• In Alabama short term health plans are available with initial plan terms of 364 days.

Devote Some Time to Explore Best and Cheap Health Insurance Plan in Alabama

With the rising cost of healthcare, health insurance has become a need-of-the-hour, and cheap health insurance a necessity. Residents of Alabama just like any other states while shopping for a health insurance plan are always on a lookout to purchase simply the best and affordable health insurance plan that will prove the best deal on health insurance coverage for themselves and their families. Nevertheless, it is not always possible for residents of Alabama to find cheap health insurance for themselves and their families, so they can seek assistance from health insurance experts like InsureMeNow, who not only provide comprehensive details on health insurance plans but also guide them in buying the best health plan. This comprehensive health insurance portal will help residents compare different health plan options and pick the one that best suits them. Right from individual and family health plans to short-term plans, to dental and vision insurance plans to different Medicare options, Alabama residents can find a wide range of health insurance options in the state. Alabama residents can find affordable health insurance on the state marketplace and after carefully examining all the health insurance plans available in Alabama it was discovered that in the majority of the counties, the Blue Cross Select Silver was the cheapest health plan. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is the health insurance carrier offering the best prices on plans across all coverage tiers.

Cheapest Health Insurance by Metal Tier in Alabama in 2020

To find the cheapest health plan among all the available options, Alabama residents need to compare health plans by metal tier that offers a different level of coverage. The cost of the health insurance plans generally depends upon the applicant’s age, the county in which they live, health conditions, and their smoking habit. Find below the table showing the cheapest health insurance plan by metal tier in Alabama in 2020. This table will give people an idea about the cost and benefits offered by each tier of a health plan:

Individual and Family Health Insurance in Alabama

Alabama residents who are self employed or without insurance from their employer need to look for individual and family health insurance options in Alabama. There is a whole range of individual and family insurance products available in Alabama  and you can choose the best plan based on your budget and requirements. The federally run Alabama health insurance marketplace provides its residents access to affordable individual and family health insurance plans as per their needs and budget. Many residents of Alabama have the opportunity to get affordable individual health insurance during the open enrollment period.

Some of the Individual & Family Health Insurance Options Include:

Affordable Care Act or Obama Care

You can purchase Affordable Care Act plans through the Health Insurance Marketplace and these plans meet government requirements as per the Affordable Care Act. Obamacare or the Federal Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010 to protect consumers. It is due to Affordable Care Act that insurance companies have to cover people with pre-existing conditions and prevent them from randomly canceling their coverage. The law also requires health insurance companies to cover healthcare services with a standard set of benefits and prevent coverage denials based on preexisting conditions. When you enroll in ACA compliant health plans sold through the federal insurance marketplace you are eligible for income-based financial assistance that help you lower your monthly insurance premiums as well as out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Alabama and Bright Health Insurance Company are the carriers offering ACA compliant individual health insurance plans in Alabama.

Short Term Health Insurance in Alabama

If you are looking for affordable health plans that provides coverage in emergency then short-term health insurance might prove best for you. Short-term insurance is a cost-effective practical solution that fill coverage gaps between jobs or in case if you missed the Open Enrollment Period. However, you need to understand this type of coverage or you could be saddled with out-of-pocket costs. If you are looking to buy short-term plans then you must keep in mind that these plans do not provide comprehensive coverage and there are limited benefits of these plans and you can be denied coverage in case you have pre-existing conditions. Alabama has approved the short-term plans with duration as little as one month to up to three years of coverage. 10% of Alabama residents are without the health insurance and affordable short-term plans prove good option for such people to obtain coverage. Residents of this state can purchase short-term plans through private insurers at any point during the year.

Dental Plans in Alabama

Dental insurance plans in Alabama are categorized as Indemnity or managed care plans. Alabama indemnity plans provide a wide selection of dental care providers and in this plan the carrier pays for covered services only after receiving the bill. It means that you first have to pay up front and then obtain reimbursement from your insurance carrier later. The managed care dental plans maintain a network of dental providers who agree to perform services for patients at pre-negotiated rates and submit the claim to the dental insurance company for you. You will have lower out-of-pocket costs with a managed care dental plan and a broader choice of dentists with an indemnity plan.

Vision Plans in Alabama

Vision plans offered in Alabama are designed to save insured money on a wide array of vision care products and services. As a member of the vision plan you have the opportunity to visit any of the participating eye care providers who offer vision care services at a pre-negotiated price, which is considerably less that their actual cost.  

The Average cost of health insurance by family size in Alabama

The average cost of family health insurance depends upon several factors, like the ages of all the family members, the metal-tier to which the plan belongs, and the family size. The average monthly cost of health insurance for an individual of 40-year age is $533, and the average monthly rate for children under the age of 15 will be $265 and will remain flat, but once a child turns 15 years old, then the monthly premium will increase with their age. Find below the table for the average monthly cost of health plan for families of different sizes: