California Health Care

Say goodbye to long commutes and crowded waiting rooms — telehealth appointments are revolutionizing health care access. Telehealth has become increasingly widespread with a telemedicine market forecasted to reach $460 billion by 2030. Virtual visits offer a convenient way to connect with health care professionals from the comfort of your home.

Preparing for a successful telehealth appointment is essential. Discover how to do a video visit with your doctor and learn about insurance coverage for these appointments for a seamless televisit experience.

A telehealth appointment is a remote health care visit that allows patients to connect with health care professionals using technology. Instead of physically visiting a doctor’s office, these appointments occur over video calls, phone calls or even messaging platforms. This flexibility empowers patients to receive medical advice, diagnoses and treatment plans from the comfort of their home.

How do telehealth appointments work? Patients...

Health insurance agents serve an important purpose. They help consumers understand all of the complexities of health care and insurance. With a health insurance agent on their side, consumers can better understand their health care benefits and the enrollment process.

Health insurance agents have many responsibilities, though their primary job is to serve consumers like you. Whether you’re uninsured or are exploring your coverage options, here are a few ways a health insurance agent can help you.

Insurance agents act on behalf of one or more insurance carriers to service and sell insurance plans. This means they’re extremely knowledgeable about various health insurance providers and their plans. Each person’s health insurance needs vary, so there’s no one plan for everyone. But how do you know which plan is right for you?

Health insurance agents can help you compare various health plans with different carriers to find one that meets your needs and budget. Understanding what each...

Your oral health is crucial to your overall health and well-being, and a dental insurance plan can help you save significantly on dental services. Every plan is different, so determining if dental insurance is worth it depends on the right level of coverage for you.

Let’s dive into dental insurance, including what it covers, how much it might save you and how to find the right plan for your needs.

Dental insurance coverage usually spans three primary categories:

However, dental insurance generally excludes cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening, orthodontics, and non-medically necessary dentistry. Other typically non-covered services are higher levels of sedation, 3D X-rays, and sleep dentistry.

The average preventative plan costs about $26 a month, while a typical comprehensive plan costs about $47 a month. The price of these premiums is affected by several factors, including:

Dental insurance offers valuable benefits for many people. The advantages of dental coverage include:

Altho...

In the United States in 2023, most adults with mental illness had insurance coverage, but only about half received treatment. For some, a significant barrier was their insurance provider’s coverage of mental health services. Even if your plan covers mental health services — and most of them do — health insurance can be confusing. You might not know which services your plan covers, how much you’ll pay out of pocket or which providers you can visit.

Questions like these will significantly affect your or your loved one’s ability to get treatment, so we’ve put together a guide to mental health insurance coverage.

As with many questions related to health insurance, the answer is that it depends. Coverage for mental health services is optional for some plans and required for others, but many of today’s providers offer it.

While every plan is a little different, here’s what the law says about the requirements for various insurance plans to cover mental health services.

All thes...

Imagine this — it’s that time again for your annual eye exam, but you don’t have vision insurance. After the eye exam, you receive your bill and are surprised at the total amount. It’s easy to forget that the average cost of an eye exam is around $100 — an expense that could easily have been paid for by your insurer.

We’re all well aware of the benefits of health insurance, but what about vision insurance? How does it work, how much does it typically cost and when should you get it? Whether you’re currently uninsured and searching for coverage or already have insurance but want to explore better options, this blog is just for you. We’ll explore the ins and outs of vision insurance so you can decide whether it’s worth investing in.

Vision insurance is a specialized type of insurance that focuses on eye care and related expenses. It helps individuals manage the costs of routine eye exams, prescription eyewear like glasses and contact lenses and sometimes even speciali...

Many individuals who reach the age of retirement wonder if they can choose private health insurance over federally funded Medicare. Explore how private health insurance works and whether you can have Medicare and other forms of coverage simultaneously. If you still want to work after age 65, consider whether you can enroll late in Medicare and the penalties for late enrollment.

Private health insurance is often provided to individuals through their employer or federally approved providers from the Marketplace. Some private companies are Medicare-approved, meaning you can find coverage through a private institution with many of the benefits that Medicare provides.

A Medicare-approved private insurance company offers assistance with Medicare costs, including coinsurance, copayments and deductibles. It covers parts of prescription drugs and benefits like dental, vision and hearing care.

Medicare offers health insurance to eligible individuals over the age of 65. Those who sign up often rec...

Understanding common health insurance terms and definitions can prepare you when signing up for a new plan or re-applying to your current insurance. Learn what medical insurance terms and abbreviations you should know in our guide to health insurance terminology 101.

This is one of the most common terms used in insurance. A health insurance premium is the amount you pay monthly, quarterly or annually to the insurance company. In return, you are given the benefits of a health insurance plan. In some cases, you might be able to claim a tax credit for plans through the ACA or ask your employer to share in the costs.

A deductible is an annual amount you pay before the insurance starts to pay for coverage. The insurance company will not pay for bills until this set amount has been met. Doctor’s visits are often covered by insurance despite deductible requirements.

A copayment, or copay, is the amount you owe when receiving specific care or medication. For example, some plans charge a set a...

Having a primary care physician (PCP) doesn’t just make managing your health easier — it can actually help improve it. People with a primary doctor typically have better access to health care, receive higher-quality care and have better health care experiences. However, you also need to see your doctor regularly if you want those benefits.

Finding a good doctor makes it easier to keep up with regular appointments. You can get a head start with these tips for how to get a primary care doctor that meets your needs.

Whatever your reason for needing a new doctor, figuring out where to start can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’ve created this guide to choosing a PCP to help you navigate the process!

It’s crucial to start out knowing what you need from a doctor. Some needs will be health-based, while others will focus on ensuring you’re comfortable with your provider. Sit down and brainstorm a list of your needs in different areas, such as:

You have several options for your primary...

Insurance is critical for making health care accessible and affordable for women. From mammograms to maternal care, women’s health care helps millions of American women maintain a better quality of life. Fortunately for California residents, the state has committed to providing women with benefits they need in multiple areas, from disease prevention to reproductive health.

Wherever you are in your health journey, receiving health care is simple with women’s health benefits in California. Learn more about the benefits you can receive with Health for California.

Preventive care is vital for helping people catch and treat health issues before they become severe. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 expanded the preventive services that health insurance plans must provide women without charging coinsurance or a copayment.

You must review a plan’s preventive care services before signing up. Here are a few of the most common preventive services women in California can receive.

The covered...

Your health insurance plan includes many different terms and conditions. Each component helps to make health care costs more accessible. By learning more about these terms, you can understand your insurance plan more closely.

Many plans feature cost-sharing options. These features split costs between you and your insurance plan, making expenses more manageable. For instance, coinsurance is the percentage an insured patient pays after satisfying their deductible. You pay a fixed percentage, then your insurance plan covers the remaining costs.

Read on to learn more about coinsurance and how it impacts your insurance expenses.

Coinsurance is the percentage of medical costs an insured person must pay after meeting their deductible. These expenses could be for hospital stays, office visits, prescriptions, office visits or other health care services. Coinsurance splits the costs between you and your insurer — the percentage is divided between you. A common coinsurance arrangement is that th...