How Health Benefits Work

The Basics

Everybody should have health coverage so that they can visit the doctor or get medications. It used to be that a lot of people, especially people with disabilities, couldn’t afford health coverage or even qualify for it. Now, that’s changed: there’s a health coverage option for almost everybody, even if you have a disability.

This article introduces your most likely health coverage options:

All of these coverage options have:

  • Clearly defined services they cover, including most of the physical and mental health needs you may have. For private insurance, all individual plans must cover Essential Health Benefits. Medicare’s coverage is comparable, while Medicaid offers some additional benefits, like personal assistance services, if you need them.
  • Payments you must make. Typically, payments for private insurance are highest and the fees for Medicaid are lowest. Your payments may include:
    • Premiums, a monthly payment you must make whether or not you use any medical services. (Medicaid usually has no premium.)
    • Copayments, a set amount you have to pay for a medical visit or service. The amount of the copayment depends on the service you get.
    • Co-insurance, a set percentage of the cost of a visit or service that you must pay.
    • A deductible, a set amount of money that you pay out of your own pocket each year before the insurance company begins to pay for certain services. Once you have paid the deductible, you do not have to pay it again until the next calendar year.
  • An out-of-pocket maximum, which is an annual cap on how much you have to spend on copayments, co-insurance, and deductibles. That means you never have to spend more than $9,450 if you’re single or $18,900 for a family on these expenses.
    • Medicare is an exception: It does not always have an out-of-pocket maximum.

None of these coverage options:

  • Have annual or lifetime limits on how much you can get in benefits. No matter how much medical care your insurance has to pay for, they can’t stop paying for care you need.
  • Can discriminate against you because you have a disability. They cannot deny you coverage, charge you more, or refuse to pay for certain types of treatment because you have a pre-existing condition.

Read the rest of this article to discover which coverage is right for you and how to sign up.

Get covered

Don’t assume that coverage is too expensive or that you don’t qualify. You probably qualify for one of these programs and it may be more affordable than you think.

You can use DB101's Finding the Right Coverage for You interactive guide to get an idea of which program might work best in your situation.

Note: DB101 keeps track of changes to health coverage and related laws. DB101 has been and will continue to be updated to reflect any changes. For news related to health coverage, visit the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Learn more