Understanding Your Options

Private Health Insurance

"Private" health insurance simply means coverage that isn't a government program like Medicare or Medicaid — in other words, most health insurance in America, including employer plans and the individual plans families buy on their own. We help you understand exactly what you're buying: the network, the costs, and the fine print that matters.

What "private" actually covers

Private plans include employer-sponsored coverage and the individual market — the plans sold on and off the marketplace. They're priced based on where you live, your age, and the level of coverage you choose.

When people ask about private insurance, they usually mean plans outside employer benefits — individual and family coverage they buy themselves, possibly with marketplace subsidies. That's our specialty.

HMO, PPO, EPO, and POS — what it means for you

These letters describe how a plan's network works: HMOs keep you inside one network (usually with a primary doctor coordinating referrals), PPOs let you see specialists directly and cover some out-of-network care at a higher cost, EPOs are network-only without referrals, and POS plans blend features of both. The right choice usually comes down to your doctors and how you use care — not the label.

A note on short-term plans

Short-term and limited-benefit plans advertise low premiums, but they typically exclude pre-existing conditions, cap benefits, and don't cover the ten essential health benefits. They can bridge a brief gap, but they're not a replacement for real coverage. We'll always tell you plainly what a plan does and doesn't cover before you spend a dime.

How we help

Explain each plan's network rules and true costs in plain English
Verify your doctors, hospitals, and prescriptions are covered before you enroll
Compare marketplace and off-marketplace plans side by side
Help you enroll — and stay with you for service after the policy is issued

Common Questions

Is marketplace insurance the same as private insurance?

Yes — marketplace plans are private insurance sold through a government-run shopping site. Buying the same plan on or off the marketplace costs the same; the marketplace is where subsidy eligibility is applied.

Can I buy private insurance any time?

Individual plans have enrollment windows: Open Enrollment each fall, plus 60-day special enrollment windows after qualifying life events like losing employer coverage. Plan ahead so a gap doesn't leave you uncovered.