How Long Can You Stay on Your Parents' Health Insurance? Until 26
The rule is simpler than people expect and the edge cases are where it goes wrong. What counts, what does not, and what happens the month it ends.
Sep 9, 202613 min read
46 articles
Articles tagged "health insurance" — page 4
Page 4 of 4 of our guides about health insurance: plain-English explainers, worked examples and tips for comparing insurance coverage.
What Does Out of Network Mean? The Most Expensive Word in Health Insurance
Out of network means your insurer has no price agreement with that provider. What follows from that single fact explains almost every surprise medical bill.
Sep 9, 202613 min read
What Happens When You Meet Your Deductible? Less Than You Hope
Meeting the deductible starts cost sharing rather than ending it. What changes, what does not, and why the months afterwards are the cheapest of the year.
Sep 9, 202613 min read
What Is a Deductible for Health Insurance? The Number Before the Sharing Starts
A deductible is what you pay before the plan starts sharing costs. Four things it interacts with decide what your care actually costs, and most people know only one.
Sep 9, 202613 min read
How Much Does COBRA Insurance Cost? The 102% Nobody Warns You About
COBRA costs the full group premium plus a 2% fee, which is usually three to five times what was coming out of your paycheck. The real numbers and the deadlines.
Sep 8, 202612 min read
Deductible vs Out-of-Pocket Maximum: What Happens After You Meet It
Your deductible is where the plan starts helping. Your out-of-pocket maximum is where it takes over completely. What sits between them, and what counts.
Sep 8, 202612 min read
How to Get Health Insurance Without a Job (and the Age 26 Rule)
Six routes to coverage when you have no employer plan, how long you can stay on a parent's insurance, and how quickly Medicaid actually approves.
Sep 8, 202612 min read
HMO vs PPO, and What Every Number on Your Insurance Card Means
The real difference between an HMO and a PPO, whether your policy number is your member ID, and what out-of-network actually costs you.
Sep 8, 202612 min read
Medicare vs Medicaid: Two Programmes, One Confusing Letter Apart
Medicare is age-based and federal. Medicaid is income-based and run by your state. Why you can have both, and why you cannot get Medicare at 62.
Sep 8, 202611 min read
Health Insurance Terms Explained: Premiums, Deductibles and Copays
Premiums, deductibles, copays, coinsurance and the out-of-pocket maximum, explained with worked examples showing exactly how a year of medical bills settles.
Mar 12, 202614 min read