Around nine out of ten individuals would state reliable healthcare as being a priority in their lives. We have noticed that healthcare costs, despite major discoveries and scientific advancements, are not getting any cheaper. It is, therefore, not surprising, that every family earmarks a portion of their income for healthcare. With healthcare costs becoming prohibitive, not all families can afford to pay from their pockets, especially if it is a large family.

• It is mandated by law. As per the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, every individual should have health insurance.
• It ensures that the family has access to healthcare and is not denied access during medical emergencies.

Today, you can buy insurance plans for yourself, your family, and if you are a business owner, you can even choose healthcare plans for the benefit of your employees. UnitedHealthcare Inc. is one such reliable company that offers plans for various requirements such as the ones mentioned above.

However, before choosing a healthcare plan, one should consider the following key points:

• Check if you want to work with private physicians or specialists or with a network of healthcare professionals provided by the company you choose to take an insurance plan from.
• Consider the type and range of coverage provided by the company you choose as each one offers different plans to cover specific services and illness.
• Ensure to consider the premium costs and additional benefits like doctor appointments, free medical exams, and the like.
• Check if the insurance company you choose allows a combination of plans so that you don’t have to go in for multiple plans to cover different illnesses or services.

Listed below are some of UnitedHealthcare’s popular offerings for individual healthcare insurance policies:

Medicare and Medicaid

Both plans are part of the Federal government’s healthcare programs, with the latter being part of both Federal and state programs. On the one hand, Medicare mainly caters to people above the age of 65 and individuals with a disability under the age of 65. Medicaid, on the other hand, is a program that caters to individuals and families having low income and who do not have access to expensive and private healthcare services.

Short Term Health Insurance

These plans are designed to provide temporary health insurance cover when a person is nearing the end of one plan and needs to move to another. The Short Term insurance plan offered by UnitedHealthcare can also be a stop-gap arrangement for those who are looking for a permanent long-term plan that suits their requirements. Short Term plans by UnitedHealthcare are cheaper, taxable, and enables you to choose your period of protection which can go up to 360 days in some states.

Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans
UnitedHealthcare offers long-term health insurance for an individual who has a pre-existing medical condition. Your application for coverage cannot be turned down nor can you be charged more based on preexisting health conditions. If you opt for the long-term ACA plans, you can become eligible for about 10 benefits that include maternity care, preventive care, and even prescription coverage; however, you should note that the prescription coverage only includes those medications that need to be taken for a longer duration. These plans can even be less expensive if you qualify for tax credits or subsidies as these factors have made these plans affordable and popular among those who are looking at long-term coverage.

Moreover, unless you qualify for special enrolment, you must enroll during the annual open enrolment period. The open enrolment period for 2020 starts from November 1, 2019, to December 15, 2019, and the plans sold during this period start coverage from January 1, 2020.

Critical Illness or Accident Insurance

A primary health insurance plan reimburses all the medical, hospitalization expenses, and prescription costs. These do not cover critical illnesses or accidents. Once you purchase a critical illness insurance plan from UnitedHealthcare and receive a diagnosis of a critical illness after the specific waiting period, the insurance pays the covered amount in a lump sum. This amount can be used for living expenses that would be needed during the treatment and recovery periods. The amount paid by the insurance company, in this case, the UnitedHealthcare, is not taxable.

Dental Insurance Plans

UnitedHealthcare offers flexible plans for dental care as well. The benefits include preventive dental care and coverage for basic as well as emergency services. Customers get access to a large network of dental services and UnitedHealthcare pays the dentists directly.

Similar plans are available for vision care as well.

Bundle Plans

Each customer has unique needs. One blanket insurance plan might not suit another. To cater to the diverse needs of customers, UnitedHealthcare offers bundles plans—a combination of their different plans—so that customers have the opportunity to buy only those plans that are not only relevant to their needs but also provide them comprehensive coverage. Some of their bundle insurance offerings include the following:

• Short Term Health insurance and Dental Insurance
• Fixed Indemnity Insurance and Dental Insurance
• Dental and Vision Insurance
• Accidental and Dental Insurance