Most employees receive health insurance coverage through their employers. However, the previous years have seen a significant growth in the gig economy and with this, more freelancers, gig workers, small business owners, and more have to get their coverage themselves.
Whether you’re an employer, business owner, or freelancer looking for the best health insurance companies, here’s a short guide to get you started.
In terms of overall health coverage, As one of the country’s largest health insurance providers, UHC has a wide range of plans available such as dental, health, vision, and more. Whether you’re looking for plans for yourself, your family, or your company, you can definitely find something for you here. Their plans usually come in base coverage comparable to other providers, but take it a step further by including additional benefits as well as access to various wellness programs.
Oscar
For small business owners and freelancers who are mostly connected to the internet, few can match Oscar in cyberspace. A health insurance provider and a tech startup, Oscar has coverage plans for both individuals and businesses. It also has a mobile app for the individual or the employee to keep track of their plans. Furthermore, enterprises can avail business support functions through its SaaS platform, keeping them and their records secure and accessible anytime, anywhere.
While it’s one of the younger health insurance companies, being founded in 2012, Oscar is worth considering. It includes traditional health insurance plans as well as those that come with health savings accounts. Another strength for Oscar is its customer service, boasting a telemedicine program available 24/7 that comes with a dedicated concierge service connecting customers to health professionals in the Oscar network.
However, it’s still working on most of its features and service range. Aside from the limited range of the plans it offers, Oscar doesn’t have dental or vision insurance coverages.
As of 2021, one limitation with this provider is the range of its areas served: it only offers health insurance policies in 15 states although it’s actively working on expanding its range.
Kaiser Permanente
From one of the younger companies, let’s go to one of the best health insurance providers that traces its origins to World War II. Kaiser Permanente offers great coverage at lower rates compared to other entries in this list. This remains one of the insurance company’s strengths, considering the quality of care you can receive with the Kaiser integrated system.Although they only operate in select states, Kaiser insurance gives you access to Kaiser hospitals and medical centers. This translates to faster and a more streamlined processing experience. Since they all belong to the same medical group, it allows Kaiser Permanente to serve you with lower rates.
If you live in the states where Kaiser operates, you can avail of their top-tier coverage. Take note, though, that most of the plans available are HMO plans and cover only in-network care. This limits you to medical facilities within the Kaiser network, but comes at a cheaper premium. Even for people with existing health conditions, this network includes specialists; you can consult the affiliated professionals with their sales team.
A concern for existing customers who move out of Kaiser’s coverage areas is that only emergency services and urgent care are covered in medical facilities not included in its network. The company, however, tries its best to extend support by offering a dedicated travel line to help customers out of its main service area.
Anthem
If you have no special needs but are looking for standard health insurance coverage plus the possibility for other policies like dental or vision, Anthem is a good option. It has different policy types available at fairly reasonable rates and it offers more plans for Medicare compared to other providers in this list. Additionally, Anthem has become a considerable force in the health insurance industry thanks to the size of its network. This company is a subsidiary of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, a large federation of health insurers that covers about 90% of all doctors and hospitals across the country. Its size alone guarantees your access to a lot of facilities as well as affordable rates.
However, if you’re concerned about specialized and expensive treatment or long-term medical care, you might want to check other providers since Anthem is also known for its high rate of denying insurance claims. Also, because of the size of its customer base, its standard plans lack flexibility for your specific needs.
Conclusion
Health is an investment in itself and as emergencies are hard to predict, that’s why health insurance is an important preparation regardless of whether you’re a freelancer or a common-law employee. The companies listed above are some of the largest and best providers. You can start checking them out or seek other providers if they can offer the exact plans you need at a price you can afford.