How to Find an Affordable Idaho Health Insurance Quote
The struggle to find an affordable Idaho health insurance quote is about a lot more than money. When you or a family member falls seriously ill, your focus should be on them, not the bill, and certainly not worrying about whether or not they will receive the critical medical attention and treatment that may save their life. Likewise, when you or a loved one has recovered and are ready to go home, you shouldn’t have to worry about keeping a roof over your head because a huge hospital bill has wiped out your nest egg. Here are some of the details you should know about shopping for a health insurance quote in Idaho, but no matter what your situation, don’t forget the true purpose of health insurance is to protect your loved ones when they need it most.
The New Problem with Affordable Health Insurance in Idaho
To understand the difficulty many Idaho residents currently have finding affordable health insurance in Idaho, start with the jobs market. Although Idaho’s unemployment rate has been below the national average throughout the financial crisis, the state has enjoyed incredibly low unemployment rates for much of the decade. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in March 2007, the state had an unemployment rate of 2.7%. Three years later, it stood at 9.4%. This has led to a crush of workers who had to seek out health insurance on the individual market. Fortunately, Idaho has one of the most robust individual health insurance markets in the whole country….
Access to Idaho Health Insurance and Health Care Services
When it comes to access, few states show a greater disparity between access to health insurance and actual health care services than Idaho. Long before federal health care reform was enacted, Idaho was one of only a handful of states to guarantee access to health insurance on the individual market for all eligible individuals on a continuous basis. This health insurance was provided through more expensive, “high risk” pools, but nobody was turned away. As a consequence, the state boasts one of the highest percentages of residents (7.1%) who have health insurance on the individual market, according to data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Unfortunately, like many sprawling western states, Idaho has trouble attracting enough primary care physicians to provide basic health care services to its population. In fact, according to America’s Health Rankings, the state was at the very bottom of the list in 2009 with only 78 primary care physicians per 100,000 people. Similarly, the state has one of the lowest HMO penetration rates, further restricting options that balance affordable health insurance with reliable access to health care services.
What to Look for with an Idaho Health Insurance Quote
Obviously, you’re looking for something you can afford. Often, it can feel like looking for anything you can afford. But you also need to find health insurance that works for you and your family, in terms of both expected medical services and financial budget. Managed care health plans (PPO, HMO, POS) usually offer the best value, but in some areas, you may be limited to physicians you don’t like. And low premium rates are not the end-all, be-all when it comes to health insurance costs. Raise your deductibles or lower your benefit limits too much and you may end up in personal bankruptcy, in spite of your health insurance. Like so many things, Idaho health insurance is only as good as its weakest link. Before you make any final purchasing decisions, ask your insurance agent/sales rep what’s the biggest risk this particular health insurance policy leaves you vulnerable to? And make sure this risk is acceptable before you buy.
Finding a Reliable and Affordable Idaho Health Insurance Quote
Whether you’re recently unemployed, self-employed, a business owner, or otherwise looking for health coverage, an affordable Idaho health insurance quote is right around the corner with NetQuote’s free online referral service. By taking just minutes to submit a request for local health insurance quotes, we can allow you to conduct a fast, reliable, and thorough search for the best available health insurance in Idaho. Not only will the convenience of searching for and choosing a health insurance policy from the comfort of your own home help you make the best possible decision, but our referral service guarantees highly competitive comparison shopping that helps drive down your insurance costs. There’s simply no better or faster way to find an affordable health insurance in Idaho.
