In the past, most people had their health insurance provided by their employer. Today, many employers don't offer health insurance benefits, so what's a person to do? You need to learn how to examine the different health care policies, in order to make the best buying decision possible.

North Carolina Individual, and Self Employed Family Health Insurance Plans

You may confused by all the different plans being offered. One has this, and the other has that. What plan will give you the coverage you need at a price you can afford?

There are several types of health insurance plans being offered in North Carolina including bare-bones plans, catastrophic plans, and more comprehensive plans. In order to keep costs down, many of these plans use managed care to provide customers with medical care at the lowest cost.

Managed care is a system to give medical services to members of the health plan. This is accomplished by using a network of doctors, hospitals, clinics, and other health care providers to provide medical treatment. In this type of plan, the patient must seek medical services from within the network, or pay an added fee to go out-of-network.

The least expensive of managed care health plans is the (HMO) Health Maintenance Organization. These plans allow you to choose from any doctor from within the network for care. Be sure check for providers in your area before deciding on a policy.

Catastrophic and High Deductible Health Insurance Coverage

If you're looking for low insurance premiums but want coverage that picks up the slack when it comes to major medical concerns, a catastrophic health insurance policy might be just what you need. Read on for more information about this cost-saving health insurance strategy.

Also known as "high deductible" or "major medical" insurance, catastrophic health insurance is designed to protect you from ruinous medical costs while encouraging you to shop wisely for routine health care.

Here's how it works:

• You choose a higher-than-normal deductible, usually between $250 and $2,000, depending on your insurer.
• You agree to cover your own medical costs up to that deductible amount.
• Once you spend up to your deductible, your insurance company covers 100 percent of your medical costs (with certain restrictions).

As you can see, catastrophic health insurance leaves the choice in your hands. You make the choices that fit you and/or your family best; your insurance company rewards you for taking on a measure of additional financial risk.

North Carolina Health Insurance Quotes

Because almost all major insurance companies have made their plans available online, you can now go shopping for health insurance any time, night or day, for affordable individual & family health insurance while online.

Just click on the following link to get immediate North Carolina health insurance quotes and more health plan information. It's fast, it's free, and you're under no obligation. You'll get 4 to 5 competitive quotes for health insurance.