Getting affordable health insurance is an important step toward protecting your health. However, many people aren’t taught how to get health insurance while in school. Here at Aflac, we strive to educate our consumers so they can make the most informed decisions.
It’s important to note that Aflac doesn’t offer traditional health insurance. Instead, we offer supplemental coverage that helps cover gaps in your existing plan. Accident insurance is one of the many supplemental plans Aflac offers. We also offer critical illness, hospital, dental, vision, cancer, and short-term disability insurance coverage.
Read on to learn more about how health insurance works, how to get an affordable plan, and what supplemental insurance options Aflac offers.
Health insurance is a type of plan that can help cover the high costs of health care. Networks of doctors and insurance companies often come together to negotiate fees so that policyholders can get the help they need at a price they can afford.1 Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Sometimes, health insurance can be expensive and tricky to navigate.
Then, when you go to the doctor, claims are submitted to your insurance provider for your treatments and services. The doctor’s office may do this for you if you give them your health insurance information ahead of time. Depending on your plan type, choosing an in-network provider (someone your insurance company explicitly states they work with) may help bring the costs of care down.
Every health insurance plan functions differently and provides varying levels of coverage. Reading the fine details of every plan and giving your insurance company a call can help you better understand how to file claims and what to expect coverage-wise.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Help cover yourself and your family with affordable coverage from Aflac.
To receive coverage, you must understand how to apply for health insurance. Whether you decide to get health insurance through the state you live in, employer-offered options, a federal program, or the health insurance marketplace, you'll have to answer a series of questions. You should be able to find the application form online. From there, you’ll answer a series of questions about yourself. Let’s explore some options more in-depth.
If you work full-time, your employer may offer health insurance depending on where you live and your company size. Your employer should communicate to you whether they offer coverage options. If you are unsure, you can always ask them. From there, they should ask you a handful of questions to help you apply or enroll in their plan.
It's also important to make sure you apply for health insurance during the enrollment period or specific time frame when companies allow you to apply for it. You can typically only apply for a plan outside this time frame if you have a qualifying event, like marriage or having a child.
The cost of an employer-sponsored health insurance plan may be deducted from your paycheck automatically. If you are unhappy with the coverage options they provide, you can still explore other options and get health insurance coverage elsewhere.
The government runs the health insurance marketplace and lists all your federal health insurance options.2 Your options may depend on the state you live in and your income levels.
If you have a health insurance company in mind, you can go to their website directly or give them a call about health insurance plans that they offer. You may also find additional information about their specific benefits on their websites.
You don’t have to figure it out all on your own. Insurance agents and brokers help make the search for health insurance easier. Working one-on-one with an agent or broker can help clarify which plan is best for your goals and needs.
As mentioned earlier, health insurance isn’t always affordable. There are a few categories you can focus on while searching for an affordable health insurance plan.
If you find yourself wondering how to get affordable health insurance, you’re not alone. Hopefully, this guide has given you the tools you need to help find health insurance that best fits your needs. If you already have a plan, you may have experienced a lack of coverage, or a surprising out-of-pocket medical expense not covered by your plan. That’s where Aflac can help.
We offer a range of supplemental plans with affordable premiums that work with your existing policy to help with out-of-pocket costs. For example, our accident insurance pays cash benefits for unexpected injuries and our critical illness insurance can help cover the costs of a life-changing illness.
Chat with an agent today to explore your coverage goals if you know which insurance plan you want. If you don't, learn more about our diverse and helpful products.
1 Health - Health Insurance Provider Network. Updated August 27, 2023. Accessed February 22, 2024. https://www.verywellhealth.com/health-insurance-provider-network-1738750.
2 Investopedia - How to Get Health Insurance. Updated February 07, 2023. Accessed February 22, 2024. https://www.investopedia.com/how-to-get-health-insurance-4772855.
Content within this article is provided for general informational purposes and is not provided as tax, legal, health, or financial advice for any person or for any specific situation. Employers, employees, and other individuals should contact their own advisers about their situations. For complete details, including availability and costs of Aflac insurance, please contact your local Aflac agent.
This is a brief product overview only. Coverage may not be available in all states,including but not limited to ID, NJ, NM, NY, or VA. Benefits/premium rates may vary based on plan selected. Optional riders may be available at an additional cost. Plans and riders may also contain a waiting period. Refer to the exact plans and riders for benefit details, definitions, limitations and exclusions. For availability and costs, please contact your local Aflac agent/producer.
Aflac Policies
Accident (A37000 series) - In Delaware, Policies A371AA & A371BA. In Idaho, Policy A37000ID. In Oklahoma, Policy A37000OK. In Virginia, Policies A371AAVA & A371BAVA.
Hospital (B40000 series) - In Delaware, Policies B40100DE & B4010HDE. In Idaho, Policies B40100ID & B4010HID. In Oklahoma, Policies B40100OK & B4010HOK. In Virginia, Policies B40100VA & B4010HVA.
Dental (81000 series) - In Delaware, Policies A81100–A81400. In Idaho, Policies A81100ID–A81400ID. In Oklahoma, Policies A81100OK–A81400OK. In Virginia, Policies A81100VA–A81200VA. Dental (82000 series) - In Delaware, Policies A82100R–A82400R. In Idaho, Policies A82100RID–A82400RID. In Oklahoma, Policies A82100ROK–A82400ROK. In Virginia, Policies A82100RVA–A82400RVA.
Vision (VSN100 series) - . In Delaware, Policy VSN100. In Idaho, Policy VSN100ID. In Oklahoma, Policy VSN100OKR. In Virginia, Policy VSN100VA.
Cancer/Specified-Disease (B70000 series) - In Delaware, Policies B70100DE, B70200DE & B70300DE. In Idaho, Policies B70100ID, B70200ID, B70300ID, B7010EPID, B7020EPID. In Oklahoma, Policies B70100OK, B70200OK, B70300OK, B7010EPOK, B7020EPOK. In Virginia, policies A75100VA–A75300VA.
Short-Term Disability - A57600 series) - In Delaware, Policies A57600DE & A57600LB. In Idaho, Policy A57600IDR. In Oklahoma, Policies A57600OK & A57600LBOK. In Virginia, Policies A57600VA & A57600LBVA.
Critical Illness (B71000 Series) - In Delaware, Policies B71100, B71200, B7130H & B7140H. In Oklahoma, Policies B71100OK & B7110HOK. Not available in Idaho, New Jersey, New York, or Virginia.
Dental (81000 series) - In Delaware, Policies A81100–A81400. In Idaho, Policies A81100ID–A81400ID. In Oklahoma, Policies A81100OK–A81400OK. In Virginia, Policies A81100VA–A81200VA. Dental (82000 series) - In Delaware, Policies A82100R–A82400R. In Idaho, Policies A82100RID–A82400RID. In Oklahoma, Policies A82100ROK–A82400ROK. In Virginia, Policies A82100RVA–A82400RVA.
Coverage underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.
Tier One Policies
Accident (T37000series) - In Delaware, Policy T37000. In Idaho, Policies T37100IDR, T37200IDR, & T37300IDR. In Oregon, Policy T37000OR. In Oklahoma, Policy T37000OK. In Pennsylvania, Policies T37000PA, T37300PA, & T37500PA. In Texas, Policy T37000TX. Not available in New York or Virginia.
Dental, Vision, Hearing (T80000 series) - In Delaware, Policy T80000. In Idaho, Policy T80000ID. In Oklahoma, Policy T80000OK. Not available in New York or Virginia.
Cancer/Specified-Disease (T70000 series) - In Delaware, Policy T70000. In Idaho, Policy T70000ID. In Oklahoma, Policy T70000OK. In Virginia, policies T70000VA & T70000GVA. Not available in New York.
Critical Illness (T71000 series) - In Delaware, Policy T71000. In Oklahoma, Policy T71000OK. In Oregon, Policy T71000OR. In Pennsylvania, Policies T71100PA - T71400PA. In Texas, Policy T71000TXR. In Virginia, Policy T71100VA. Not available in New York.
Coverage underwritten by Tier One Insurance Company.
Tier One Insurance Company is part of the Aflac family of insurers. In California, Tier One Insurance Company does business as Tier One Life Insurance Company (Tier One NAIC 92908).
NOTICE: The coverage offered is not a qualified health plan (QHP) under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and is not required to satisfy essential health benefits mandates of the ACA. The coverage provides limited benefits.
Aflac WWHQ | Tier One Insurance Company | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999
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