What To Look For When Choosing A Health Insurance Plan? 
An important item to determine is how much can you budget for premiums each month . When you 're trying to compare plan options , some of the first things to compare will be the deductible , copays , coinsurances , maximum out-of-pockets , and whether it 's an HMO network , PPO network , etc. . Identifying the plan 's `` metal level '' will allow you to compare more easily , meaning bronze plans may offer similar structures and premiums to other bronze plans . There are 4 metal levels - bronze , silver , gold , and platinum . The higher ranking metal level , the more comprehensive the coverage , and the higher the premium for the plan . If you have a primary care doctor that you want to keep , be sure to check and see if they are in the plan 's network -LRB- very important for HMOs ! -RRB- - same goes for hospitals too . If the facilities you go to are out-of-network , then your costs for medical services can be substantially higher than if they were in-network . When you 're looking for a plan , I highly highly highly recommend working with an independent health insurance agent that is knowledgeable and experienced to help you determine what carriers and what plan will be most suitable for your coverage . There 's no extra cost in using an independent agent versus buying from the carrier directly . You get all the extra service at no extra cost . I hope the information is helpful - please feel free to contact me for help with your coverage and if you have any other questions . Thanks very much . 