Up until recently, most people got their health insurance through
their employers. The company they worked for chose a provider and a set
of options within that company, and it was provided for their
employees. Fewer people have group coverage today due to economic
reasons and growing costs of health care and medical procedures. As more
companies cut their health care programs, more people are finding their
own individual health insurance plans. While it requires a little more
time and research, there are many advantages to choosing your own plan.
Options
With
an individual plan, you are able to choose the provider, options, and
details that work best for you and your family. There are seemingly
infinite options offered by numerous organizations, and many people who
may or may not qualify for their company's medical insurance are forced
to find their own providers that meet their needs.
Freedom
The
ability to switch plans and companies is important for many people, as
trying out different options may be part of the process of finding the
right one. In addition, when you have your own health insurance, you
don't have to worry about losing coverage if you switch jobs or lose
your job. This allows you to choose your job based off of your needs and
goals, not based off of the benefits you receive.
Independence
When
you go with group insurance, you allow your employer to have control
over your health care options. For example, many women would like access
to birth control but are under group insurance that does not cover
birth control. With an individual plan, you're able to cater your
coverage to your own values and priorities.
Doctors
Many
group plans only allow you to see certain doctors; with individual
coverage, you can see the doctors you trust and visit the hospitals you
already know.
Who Gets Individual Health Care?
As mentioned
above, fewer employers today offer group insurance than in the past.
Traditionally, individual plans were reserved for people who were
between jobs, self-employed, fresh off of their parents' coverage, or
who just worked for a company that didn't offer coverage (whether they
didn't offer it at all or certain employees didn't qualify). Today, the
number of people working for companies without coverage is growing, as
are the numbers of self-employed individuals.
Group health
insurance generally has the benefit of being partially or fully funded
by your employer, but it can keep you in an unsatisfying job for fear of
losing coverage and can also get you stuck in a situation that doesn't
meet all of your needs. Many people feel overwhelmed when presented with
the mass array of providers and the various plans that each one offers.
When considering moving to an individual plan, it may be worth trying
to work with a local agency to find one that meets your needs, both
medically and financially.