Finding Illinois Health Insurance in the Land of Lincoln
It’s no secret that finding quality, affordable health insurance in Illinois is easier said than done. In the Commonwealth Fund’s 2009 State Scorecard on Health Care Performance, a comprehensive state by state evaluation of health care, Illinois ranked 42nd out of a possible 51, behind 40 other states and the District of Columbia. Even more disappointing is the fact that the status of Illinois health insurance seems to be on the decline, dropping 10 spots in two years from its 32nd place ranking in the 2007 State Scorecard to 42nd in 2009. What does all this mean for the average Joe purchasing health insurance in Illinois? More than anything else it highlights how important it is to pull out all the stops if you want to get quality health care in the Prairie State.
You’ve Got to Fight for Your Right to Illinois Health Insurance
While some states are aggressive in managing health care by putting in place laws and regulations that govern health care systems, their availability, and their costs, Illinois has taken the opposite approach. In the Land of Lincoln regulation is more or less non-existent (with the exception of some basic guaranteed rights of coverage established by the Managed Care Reform and Patients Rights Act of 1999), resulting in an insurance climate that tends to favor insurance providers rather than consumers. In a climate like that it’s up to consumers to make the system work in their favor.
Establishing a Baseline for Illinois Health Insurance Costs
Nothing is more helpful in that regard than determining how much you should expect to pay for an Illinois health insurance quote. Establishing that baseline gives you a leg up in evaluating how reasonable each Illinois health insurance quote that you receive is, and it gives you the advantage when it comes to comparing competing quotes, coverages, and providers. That said, just how much does the average Illinoisan pay for health care insurance each year? Here’s your answer:
- Group Health Care Costs —According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, single Illinoisans paid an average of $954 per year for group health care insurance acquired through an employer, while Illinoisans with families paid $3,366 for the same coverage. As for the average portion of premiums paid by Illinois employers, the totals came to $3,689 for single coverage, and $9,237 for families.
- Individual Market Insurance Costs —For those who obtained their insurance independent of a group health care plan the out-of-pocket premiums were quite a bit higher: $2,449 per year for a single Illinoisian, and $9,984 for families, according to the AHIP’s Health Insurance Overview and Economic Impact on the States.
Finding the Best Illinois Health Insurance Quote for You
Once you establish what the average rates are for an Illinois insurance quote, it’s important for employers and individuals alike to employ sound strategies for getting the best health insurance plan at the best possible price. First and foremost on that list: comparison shopping. By obtaining a number of quotes from different providers, you’ll afford yourself the luxuries of comparing rates, comparing different health insurance plans, and even playing quotes from one provider off of one another in the search for the best possible value. And if you choose to use a free online quote provider like NetQuote.com, you’ll be able to do all that and more at the click of a mouse, and at no cost to you. It’s quite simply the easiest way to get the best possible Illinois health insurance coverage for you and those who depend on you for quality health care in the Land of Lincoln.
