How do i go about getting a health insurance plan?

I want to purchase health insurance on my own. What is a good place to start? How do I find out what kind of mental health coverage I can get? I am really inexperienced with this...any help will be much appreciated!
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The best place to start is by doing what you're doing now – asking for personal recommendations. What kind of health insurance are you looking for? It might be a good idea to jot down a list of the different aspects of a health plan and then chart the differences between various plans you come across. Here's an example: ·Monthly price (premium) ·Yearly deductible (amount you spend before the insurance company will start paying) ·Copay amount (amount you pay per service) ·Coinsurance amount (amount you split with the insurance company – usually a percentage; i.e., you pay 20 percent and the insurer pays 80 percent) ·Freedom of choice (can you visit whatever doctor you want?) ·Preventive medicine and routine doctor visits (does the plan include these?) ·Mental health (included in the plan; copay amounts; maximum number of annual visits). HMOs (health maintenance organizations) are popular right now, and they usually include mental health coverage in their plans. A typical example is that you would pay a monthly fee and then a copay when you visit your therapist (usually around $50 for a plan with low monthly payments). One potential problem, though, is access to physicians. An HMO might not have the kind of mental health specialist you're looking for. Before you enroll in an HMO, I would strongly urge you to look at their mental health specialist roster. For more choices, you might opt for a PPO (preferred provider organization) or a traditional fee-for-service plan. One helpful Web site is needymeds.com (see link below). It is a catalogue of Web sites devoted to discounted drugs and medical programs. The best way to find answers to your questions, though, is by talking with local insurance agents. Just tell them what you're looking for and how much you want to pay, and then wait until one of them brings back a policy that's right for you. You won't spend any more on a plan from an agent than if you bought the same plan online. MostChoice.com is a Web site with state-licensed agents throughout the country. When you visit the site, you fill out a short information request form. You'll get free quotes and policy information on health plans near you, and within two days agents should contact you. There's no cost and you're not expected to buy a policy from the agents. Also, MostChoice will use your personal information only to help you find the health plan you're looking for. You can visit MostChoice here: http://www.mostchoice.com/health-insuran… Good luck. I hope this helps, Barnes @ MostChoice.
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