How to Get Affordable Health Insurance North Carolina
Finding affordable health insurance North Carolina is a hot topic these days but is certainly an attainable goal that all of us should have. Health insurance premiums have risen over the years and now approximately 16% of all North Carolina residents do not carry any health coverage.
However there are things that you can do to keep your health insurance premiums in check and it all starts with a healthy lifestyle. This means exercising and eating a well balanced diet each and every day. Make your walks around the block with your dog or partner a little quicker so that you exert a little more energy. Biking or swimming is other forms of great exercise that doesn’t have to cost you much money and makes exercising fun.
Not using any tobacco product (cigarettes, cigars, chew, etc) contributes to a healthier lifestyle. Depending on the carrier, tobacco users pay 10-30% more for health insurance than do non tobacco users. If you were a tobacco user when you first purchased health insurance and have since quite and haven’t used tobacco for the past 12 months, you should contact your agent as you could get the tobacco rate removed from your policy.
One of the main contributors in making affordable health insurance North Carolina difficult to obtain is being overweight. In 2008, seventy percent of males and fifty-six percent of females were obese in North Carolina. Insurers charge a lot more for premiums due to weight because it is directly tied to costly diseases such as diabetes and coronary heart disease. The good news is that if you make changes to your lifestyle not only will you lower your health insurance premiums but you will also feel a lot better and likely live a longer life.
If you are already following these guidelines and are healthy, there are things you can do today to make your health insurance more affordable. One of the easiest changes you can make is to increase your deductible. For instance, if you currently have an individual deductible of $1,000 by increasing this to $2,000 or more you can easily reduce your premiums by 25% or more. Many times you will save more in premiums than you would have to pay out if you had to use your deductible.
Another option for lowering your health insurance cost is by choosing a qualified High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). These plans do not have copay’s for office visits and prescription drugs. Because you are more responsible for the minor expenses, these plans can typically save the average family 30-50% in monthly premiums in addition to providing some additional tax savings.
If you follow the steps outlined above you will be sure to make affordable health insurance North Carolina a reality.