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Health Insurance Providers |
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| Health Insurance |
What is Health Insurance
Health insurance helps protect you from high health care costs. Many people in the United States get a health insurance policy through their employers. In most cases, the employer helps pay for that insurance. Insurance through employers is often with a managed care plan. These plans contract with health care providers and health facilities to provide care for members at reduced costs.
You can also purchase health insurance on your own. It usually costs you more than employer-based insurance. People who meet certain requirements can qualify for government health insurance, such as Medicare and Medicaid. If you do not have health insurance, you must pay your medical bills directly or rely on health care providers or organizations that donate care.
Private medical Insurance
Private health insurance is coverage by a health plan provided through an employer or union or purchased by an individual from a private health insurance company.
Employment-based plans
Employment-based health insurance is coverage offered through one's own employment or a relative's. It may be offered by an employer or by a union.
Direct-purchase plans
Direct-purchase health insurance is coverage though a plan purchased by an individual from a private company.
Government Health Insurance
Government health insurance includes plans funded by governments as the federal, state, or local level. The major categories of government health insurance are medicare, medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), military health care, state plans, and the Indian Health Service.
Medicare
Medicare is the Federal program which helps pay health care costs for people 65 and older and for certain people under 65 with long-term disabilities.
Medicaid
Medicaid is a program administered at the state level, which provides medical assistance to the needy. Families with dependent children, the aged, blind, and disabled who are in financial need are eligible for Medicaid. It may be known by different names in different states.
SCHIP
SCHIP, the State Children's Medical Insurance Program, is a program administered at the state level, providing health care to low-income children whose parents do not qualify for Medicaid. SCHIP may be known by different names in different states
Military medical care
Military health care includes TRICARE/CHAMPUS (Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services) and CHAMPVA (Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs), as well as care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
TRICARE/CHAMPUS
TRICARE or CHAMPUS is a military health care program for active duty and retired members of the uniformed services, their families, and survivors.
CHAMPVA
CHAMPVA is a medical program through which the Department of Veterans Affairs helps pay the cost of medical services for eligible veterans, veteran's dependents, and survivors of veterans.
VA
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides medical assistance to eligible veterans of the Armed Forces.
State-specific plan
Some states have their own health insurance programs for low-income uninsured individuals. These health plans may be known by different names in different states.
Indian Medical Service*
Indian Medical Service (IHS) is a health care program through which the Department of Health and Human Services provides medical assistance to eligible American Indians at IHS facilities. In addition, the IHS helps pay the cost of selected health care services provided at non-IHS facilities. |
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