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Delaware Health Insurance Companies
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Delaware Health Insurance Options
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How to Get the Most Savings
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Delaware Health Insurance FAQS
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How to Enroll in Health Insurance in Delaware
Delaware Health Insurance Companies
Delaware only has one health insurance company, Highmark BlueCross BlueShield. They offer a variety of health plans:
- Bronze tier PPO plans cost between $315 and $348 per month
- Silver plans cost around $435 per month
- Gold plans vary from $413 to $476 per month
Each metal tier has several options with different levels of coverage and price points. Bronze tiers cover less of your medical bills but cost less per month, while Gold plans cost more monthly but cover 80% of your medical bills. Which plan will work for you all depends on what your budget and health needs look like.
As stated above, Delaware currently only has one health insurance carrier. In fact, it is the only state in the country with only one option. Luckily that is changing: in 2023, Aetna and Amerihealth are joining the ranks to offer some more variety.
Health Insurance Marketplace in Delaware
If you’re looking for health insurance in Delaware, a great place to start in the health insurance Marketplace. Every year, during the Open Enrollment Period (OEP), you can shop for Marketplace health insurance, which was created by the Affordable Care Act and offers certain consumer protections, guarantees coverage for pre-existing conditions, and includes coverage for what are known as the “10 essential health benefits”:
- Ambulatory patient services (outpatient care)
- Emergency services
- Hospitalization
- Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care (both before and after birth)
- Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment (including counseling and psychotherapy)
- Prescription drugs
- Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices
- Laboratory services
- Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
- Pediatric services, including oral and vision care (but adult dental and vision coverage aren’t essential health benefits)
Each of the ACA-compliant plans offered on the Marketplace are divided into the different types, known as metal tiers: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. These tiers do not signal a difference in quality of care, though. The tiers differ in your out-of-pocket costs versus what your plan covers.
It’s important to remember that the Marketplace only offers the plans of participating providers. So unfortunately, while the Marketplace is a great tool, you may not be able to compare every plan available to you.
Whether you want a Marketplace plan, or a plan from a private insurer, an EZ agent can help. We work with all carriers in your state in order to compare all options available.
Over half of the uninsured in Delaware who qualify for Marketplace insurance coverage could get a Bronze plan for FREE.
Delaware’s Short Term Health Insurance Guidelines
If you’ve missed the OEP or have a need for health insurance for a short amount of time, short-term plans are a great option. It’s important to note, though, that these policies tend to only cover the basics, and you can be denied one of these plans if you have a pre-existing condition.
The federal government outlines how short-term plans are offered. But each state is allowed to choose its own guidelines as long as they don’t exceed federal limits. In Delaware plans are offered initially for three months; you are not allowed to renew your plan, but you can purchase a new plan once the three months are up.
Delaware Health Insurance Options
It’s important to familiarize yourself with all of the individual health insurance options in Delaware before making your decision. In Delaware, there are several ways for people to get health insurance, and you should look into all of them, since options are limited in your state.
Employer-sponsored healthcare – Many Americans have access to health insurance through their work, and if you are one of them, it’s a good idea to take advantage of your employer’s plan. Employers receive group discounts, which means their employees pay lower monthly premiums. But these plans can be limited since you can only choose between the plans your employer chooses.
Medicare – The government offers low-cost health coverage for people 65 and older, or those with certain disabilities such as blindness.
Medicaid – This is also a government-sponsored program. It’s targeted towards low-income families: it’s only available to those who meet certain income criteria set by the state. It is a great option to help keep you and your family covered.
Whatever type of health insurance you choose, the best way to find the plan that’s right for you is by working with an agent. EZ’s insurance agents can compare all of the plans available to you, both on and off the market, in minutes. This ensures that you are aware of every plan available before you make your choice.
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How to Get the Most Savings
Delaware is in the top 10 most expensive states for healthcare per capita in the country. They rank 8th with an average of $12,294 per year spent on healthcare for an individual. So, finding ways to save on your health insurance is important, and there are plenty of ways to do so.
You can lower your premiums, and spend less on healthcare overall if you:
Take care of your health and watch your weight – Insurance companies look closely at your health, especially your BMI, when they assess their risk in covering you. That means watching your weight can help lower your insurance premiums. The rate of obesity in Delaware is high at 34.4%, so you’re not alone if you’re in this category!
Avoiding tobacco use – Smoking can raise premiums by up to 50%. 13.4% of residents in Delaware are smokers, so if you’re among them you should know that quitting is a sure way to lower your healthcare costs. And because smoking can lead to so many health complications, quitting can improve your health.
Look at where you live – Certain areas have lower premiums because there are more providers in those areas. So, if you’re planning to move soon consider the area you want to move to. The areas with the cheapest premiums are Wilmington, Dover, and Newark.
Along with those ways to save, you can also save hundreds of dollars a year by working with an agent. EZ’s agents can work within your budget and find any local discounts that are available to you. And speaking of saving, all of EZs services are free and have no obligation.
Delaware Health Insurance FAQS
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Does Delaware require you to have health insurance?
The Affordable Care Act requires all citizens to have health insurance coverage. But there is no longer a tax penalty for not having insurance, except in certain states. Delaware has no state laws requiring health insurance, but having coverage is still important.
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What is the cheapest health insurance in Delaware?
The cheapest health plan will be a Bronze plan, which can start as low as $303 a month. Remember, though, that health insurance plan prices can vary depending on age, zip code, gender, and other factors. More than half of Delaware residents who qualify for a Marketplace plan can actually get a Bronze plan for free.
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How much does health insurance cost in Delaware?
The average monthly premium for health insurance is $506, or $6,072 per year, with plans as low as $303 a month to as high as $905. But do not let these numbers scare you. More than half of uninsured people in Delaware qualify for a $0 Bronze plan and don’t even know it.
How to Enroll in Health Insurance in Delaware
Enrolling in a plan in Delaware can be simple. You can enroll on an insurance company’s site, but keep in mind the only plans available on a carrier’s site is their own so you don’t have the option to easily compare every plan available to you. Or you can use Choose Health Delaware, the state-run health insurance exchange. Enrolling through the exchange gives you a little more variety in plans but again it’s also limited to only the carriers that participate in the exchange.
Enrolling can be as simple as filling out a form with all of your details and selecting your plan, but it can often be challenging to decide which plan is right for you. An EZ agent can guide you through the whole process. We will take all of the information you provide and compare the available plans, then present you with your options.
If you still have questions, feel free to give us a call at 877-670-3557. When you call, you will be directly connected to a local insurance agent who can answer all of your questions and help you find the health insurance plan that works best for .
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