Health insurance is highly recommended by insurance experts and healthcare professionals alike. You deserve the right to affordable healthcare and a good health insurance plan can help you get it.
Unlike other types of policies such as car insurance, health insurance is not legally required. There is no legal penalty for not carrying health insurance in Pennsylvania.
However, health insurance is still highly recommended to reduce medical costs and to give you peace of mind. Keep reading to learn how you can find affordable health insurance in Pennsylvania.
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The cost of a health insurance policy is dependent on a variety of factors, such as:
Due to these variables, there’s no one-size-fits-all number. What you pay versus what a friend would pay could be entirely different given your unique factors.
What we can do though, is give you the overall average so that you have a baseline to go off of when budgeting for health insurance. The average cost of health insurance in Pennsylvania as of 2023 is $473 per month.
With this baseline in mind, you can get an idea of whether you’re finding a good deal on health insurance or not. For example, those over 60 should expect to pay more than this average. But if a minimal coverage policy costs over $600, chances are that this is not the plan that you should choose.
In order to find the cheapest health insurance in PA, you need to understand how the health insurance marketplace works.
In Pennsylvania, the marketplace exchange is called “Pennie.” It’s a great place to find the best cheap health insurance policies in Pennsylvania.
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If you’re looking for low-cost health insurance in PA, the following insurance companies offer the most affordable plans on the exchange:
Note: not all counties will have the same insurance providers available.
Another benefit to seeking healthcare coverage on the marketplace is that you can qualify for tax subsidies that help cover the cost of health insurance.
But the Pennie exchange is just one way to purchase health insurance. You can also find health insurance through:
Health insurance is a personal business, and everyone has diverse needs. That’s why there are so many different ways to purchase health insurance.
Next, we’re going to walk you through how you can get health insurance from these other sources.
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Depending on your place of work, you may be able to access an employer-sponsored plan. These health insurance plans are created through a partnership between an employer and the insurance provider. The employer often helps subsidize the premiums, to make the coverage more affordable for employees.
But, because these plans are offered through employers, those who are self-employed or work for a company without this option will have to find their health insurance elsewhere.
Both Medicare and Medicaid are government-sponsored health insurance plans aimed to provide those in need with affordable coverage. Each program works a little differently.
Medicare:
Medicare is for individuals of retirement age, or those with specific disabilities. Eligible recipients are:
Medicare health insurance offers a flexible range of coverage by being separated into four parts:
Depending on which parts your Medicare coverage consists of, the cost will differ. But generally speaking, Medicare offers significantly cheaper health coverage than other methods. Keep in mind, you’re automatically eligible for Medicare when you turn 65 and if you don’t enroll right away, you could face fines (unless you have adequate health insurance from another source, like work).
Medicaid:
Medicaid provides low income health insurance in PA. Qualifying individuals in Pennsylvania must make the equivalent to or below 138% of the federal poverty level.
As of 2023, 138% of the federal poverty level is:
This means that households making at or below these figures annually are eligible to receive Medicaid.
Those in certain extenuating circumstances can also qualify for Medicaid, including:
Because Medicaid is provided to low-income individuals and families, it is typically free of charge. Medicaid includes the following benefits:
If you’re eligible, Medicaid can help you get the coverage you need that you otherwise might not be able to afford, so it’s worth looking into.
The final way to get health insurance in Pennsylvania is through a private insurance company. You can get these plans by contacting these providers and proceeding to purchase a health insurance policy from them.
You may wish to obtain health insurance from a private provider if:
Keep in mind, you might end up paying more by going private and these plans aren’t regulated by the ACA. Be sure to check out Pennie first when shopping for health insurance plans.
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Now that you know all the different methods of how to get health insurance in Pennsylvania, let’s get some tips on how to save money on health insurance.
No one wants to overpay for insurance (at least no sane person does)! So here’s how you can find affordable health insurance in Pennsylvania:
Get started comparing quotes by clicking here for access to free quotes fast.
ConsumerCoverage is passionate about keeping consumers informed and their wallets full. Now that you’re armed with the information you need to make an informed choice for your health insurance, we’ve got you covered with access to free quotes and more.
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Jessica Fox Jessica Fox has been a freelance writer for five years, with a specialty in health, wellness, and insurance. During this time, she’s written for some of the biggest B2B and B2C brands from around the world. Jessica is also the mother of two young daughters and loves coffee, writing, and working out.
