Public health care is generally funded by the government and managed by national health organizations. Private health organizations, on the other hand, are created for profit and can be funded through self-employed professionals and non-governmental organizations. In California, there are many types of health coverage, such as health insurance, health plans (HMOs), and public programs like Medicare and Medi-Cal. Each of these follows its own set of rules, which are regulated by different government agencies.
These regulators can help you if you have any questions or complaints. They provide a wide range of services in the areas of medical care, mental health, public health, social services and assistance to people with disabilities. Private health insurance is the most common way Americans get coverage. It is coverage provided by a private entity (such as UnitedHealthcare or Kaiser Permanente) and not by the government.
According to the Census, 66.5% of Americans have a private health plan, compared to 34.8% of those with public plans. There are several different types of private health insurance you can purchase. Employers often offer group health insurance as part of their benefit package, which may be available only to you or extended to your spouse and dependents at a higher price. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires businesses with 50 or more full-time employees to provide comprehensive health insurance that pays at least 60% of health insurance costs.
Businesses that don't offer the minimum affordable health insurance coverage may be subject to a tax penalty. Nearly half of Americans receive employer-sponsored health insurance, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. You can also buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace on Healthcare.gov. The marketplace allows you to compare available health insurance plans and enroll through a variety of methods, including online, over the phone, and in person.
The federal government offers its health insurance marketplace in most states, while some states have their own exchanges. When you apply for ACA health insurance, you enter household and income information. Based on that information, the market estimates the cost of health insurance once premiums, tax credits and subsidies are taken into account. You can also purchase individual health insurance directly from a health insurance company without needing to comply with ACA regulations; however, these plans don't qualify for premiums, tax credits or subsidies like marketplace plans do.
Most states allow low-cost short-term health insurance, which offers limited coverage for a limited time. These plans offer cheap coverage but don't offer the protections found in standard health insurance; they can also exclude pre-existing conditions and limit the benefits of prescription drugs, doctor visits and covered services. Short-term plans also don't usually cover maternity care or mental health. You might consider taking out a short-term plan if you lose your work-related coverage and don't want to pay for COBRA health insurance until you get new employer-sponsored coverage again; or if you prefer the low costs of a short-term plan since you know that those plans don't offer the coverage found in a standard plan and that you'll pay much more for care when you need it.
Catastrophic health insurance is a type of coverage found in the ACA market that offers the same level of coverage found in an ACA plan but with an exorbitant deductible; it must be under 30 years of age or qualify for a hardship exemption such as homelessness. A disaster plan might be an option for a young person who just wants a social protection plan with comprehensive coverage but this low-cost option involves high out-of-pocket costs when they need care. Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP plans are not private health insurance; Medicare is the federal government's health insurance program for eligible Americans and is divided into Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage; Medicaid is a government-funded plan designed for low-income households; CHIP covers children and mothers.
