How to Find a Local Connecticut Health Insurance Quote
If you’re one of the many state residents who need to shop for new health insurance coverage, finding an affordable Connecticut health insurance quote is the first step in protecting the health and well-being of you and your loved ones, while avoiding undue financial hardship that can take the form of hard-to-stomach annual premiums or dangerously high deductibles. Unfortunately, many state residents are shopping for cheaper health insurance as a consequence of tough economic times, but there is also more help out there than ever before –from targeted health programs to the ever-expanding and evolving benefits of shopping online for insurance. Here’s what you need to know to find the best health plan for your household, while tamping down as much as possible the stress and shenanigans of buying a health insurance policy.
Connecticut Health Insurance Assistance
As one of the more progressive states in the country, it comes as no surprise that the state offers several programs to assist residents in obtaining health insurance in Connecticut. Some are standalone programs. Some are administered by the private sector. But you won’t stand to gain from these benefits if you don’t seek them out. First, the state offers a high-risk insurance pool, the Connecticut Health Reinsurance Association, for those individuals with pre-existing conditions. In fact, this high-risk insurance pool is open to all residents who qualify, although most healthy adults will find better rates through private health insurance plans. You can learn more about this high-risk pool here. This major high-risk pool is supported by a number of more specific health insurance programs ranging from acquired brain injuries to medical assistance for refugees.
That said, state health insurance programs aren’t all about public assistance and immediate medical needs. With an eye on the modern economy, Connecticut is one of the few states to offer self-employed individuals special “group of one” status. This allows self-employed individuals to enjoy the same guaranteed access to small group health insurance as more traditional small businesses. Finally, federal health care reform is providing further assistance in the form of better insurance standards and tax subsidies. To see how Connecticut stands to be benefit from health care reform, check out this governmental resource.
Employer-Based Connecticut Health Insurance
Like any other state, Connecticut health insurance is most often received through an employer. In fact, according to data from the Census Bureau and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Connecticut is among the top states for both residents covered by employer-based health insurance (61%) and the percentage of businesses that offer coverage (63.6%). On average, about 70-80% of your health insurance premium costs will be covered by your employer.
Of course, the state hasn’t been immune to the economic downturn that has forced many companies to layoff workers, driving the state’s unemployment rate to 9.0% in April 2010. With the extra cost of continuing COBRA health coverage, many residents have had to turn to the individual market for cheaper monthly costs associated with high-deductible health insurance plans that leave you open to equally painful out-of-pocket costs. Still, for healthy adults who have a separate battle keeping a roof over their head and food on their table, these more affordable, high-risk plans may be the only viable option. Likewise, state employers may need to take the unfortunate, but necessary, step of shopping for trimmed-down group health benefits to control payroll costs and avoid further layoffs.
Find a Local Connecticut Health Insurance Quote
Between the public and private sectors, you’re all but guaranteed access to some type of health insurance in Connecticut, but finding the most reliable and comprehensive coverage at the best possible price requires a more conventional search of the marketplace. And this is where NetQuote can help. Simply take a minute to submit a free online request for a Connecticut health insurance quote, and we’ll find the insurance companies that best fit your health insurance needs and are writing policies in your location. Each and every company in our database is licensed with the state of Connecticut, so you don’t have to worry about the more egregious scams. Moreover, our online referral service allows you to quickly and confidently comparison-shop amongst different companies and health plans. Combined with the fact that you can make a carefully considered decision from the comfort of your own home removed from the high-pressure sales tactics of individual insurance agents, there’s simply no better way to shop for affordable health insurance in Connecticut.
