Notes

• "Individual" means Non-Group or outside of a business.

• Make sure your health plan is from a company licensed to operate in New Hampshire

• Premiums are based on your age and medical history.

• Short Term Plans are fast issue, low cost health protection for low rates, They are good for six months maximum and are designed to cover gaps between permanent health insurance plans.

Of all the risks you should insure yourself against, there is better than a 75% chance that by age 65, you will have suffered at least one significant health event. Furthermore, in today's world, the expenses for treatment and recovery may easily run into the mid to high 6 if not low 7 figures.

Health insurance is absolutely necessary for your long term financial security. That goes without saying. More importantly though, a good health plan can help guarantee that you will receive the best care available.

If you do not have access to health insurance through your job, or, you do, but your portion of the premiums is too high in your opinion, then an Individual Health Plan may be more suitable for you.

Some Basics:
Individual plans are sometimes called "Catastrophic Health Plans" because they typically have higher deductibles and do not offer all the bells and whistles commonly found in group plans. However, those lines are getting blurred because premium increases are forcing companies to modify their group plans to higher deductibles and co-pays.

In New Hampshire, Individual Plans are subject to health underwriting. That means they are NOT guarantee issue, may have rate increases due to your past medical history, or you may be declined coverage outright.

Individual plans may be good for you if you are healthy and have little to no regular need for medical attention. Conversely, if you have regular needs for treatment, therapy, maintenance medications, or any systemic disease, you will either be declined or if not, find the out of pocket expenses substantial.

Safety Net:
The state maintains a "High Risk Pool", a set of health plans designed for people who either do not qualify for Individual Plans or who would be charged higher premiums. These are plans of last resort, but are there if you need them.

Health Savings Account Plans: Over 30 million Americans are now covered by HSAs and that number is expected to grow substantially over the next few years. HSAs are tax advantaged high deductible health plans with a number of attractive features. For more detailed information on how these work, click on the   button.

WARNING:
The reported "Health Insurance Crisis" has spawned a plethora of bogus, misrepresented, and outright fraudulent health insurance scams. Offers for "affordable health care" are being E-Spammed, FAX-Spammed, junk mailed and telemarketed on a daily basis. These so called plans are NOT being regulated by the state. In fact, almost every State Department of Insurance (DOI) has issued written and web based warnings against these offers. For the most part, there are few if any benefits, a nebulous and unsubstantiated network, and broken promises. Millions of Americans are getting ripped off. Follow the old adage, "If it looks too good to be true, then it isn't true."