Consumer Reports Ranks Healthcare Plans
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - When new provisions of health reform take effect next year, it will be much easier to compare health plans. Insurers will have to use a standard form that describes costs in plain English - costs like co-pays and deductibles.
Until then, choosing a health plan remains quite difficult. Consumer Reports just analyzed data on hundreds of plans and has advice on how to find a good one.
Jaci Herschfeld said she found shopping for health insurance was a real chore.
"A lot of health insurance had holes. I wasn't going to get exactly what I wanted. A lot of it was very, very expensive," Herschfeld said.
Consumer Reports analyzed 830 healthcare plans ranked by an independent, nonprofit organization called the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
Like Herschfeld, many people have the option of choosing an HMO or a PPO.
"PPOs typically cost a bit more and have higher deductibles. HMOs have low or often no deductibles. However, you are usually limited to the hospitals and doctors within the HMO's network," Nancy Metcalf said.
Another decision these days some people face is whether to opt for a plan with a high deductible, often paired with a health savings account.
"With these plans, there's a trade-off. The premiums are lower, but the deductibles can be as high as $5,000 or even $10,000 if you're buying a plan on your own," Metcalf said.
As for Herschfeld, after much research, she decided to go with an HMO.
"No healthcare plan out there is perfect. You just got to weigh the pros and the cons and make sure that you're going with the one that fits your needs best," Herschfeld said.
Keep smaller insurers in mind. In Consumer Reports' analysis, some of the top-ranked plans were with smaller companies
To see how your health plan stacks up against others, or to help you find a plan if you're shopping for one, check Consumer Reports to see the rankings of HMOs and PPOs from the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
These ranking also include Medicare and Medicaid plans.
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