When selecting a health insurance plan, determining if your doctor or specialist is in network is key.
This year the federal deadline for enrolling in a health insurance plan is Dec. 15, with new health care coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2020. Faced with the coming deadline, many people feel challenged when trying to decide the best coverage for their needs.
AmeriHealth New Jersey understands that sorting through the complexities of health care can be a daunting task, and the company is committed to simplifying the process, said Mike Munoz, market president of AmeriHealth New Jersey.
Mike Munoz, market president of AmeriHealth New Jersey
What to Consider
In order to decide what health insurance plan best fits your needs, there are three important criteria to consider:
- Affordability: “Understanding the cost to buy versus the cost to use your health insurance plan is key,” said Munoz. For 2019, New Jersey residents can choose from 10 different AmeriHealth New Jersey health plans across the bronze, silver and gold metallic levels on the federal marketplace. There are 13 plans available off exchange, including three health plans in the Select Suite that provide a 10 percent savings compared to their similar on-exchange counterparts. Off-exchange health plans are not subsidy eligible.
- Network of physicians: Determining if your doctor or specialist is in network is important. “This will enable you to maintain those relationships and limit out-of-pocket costs down the road,” said Munoz. AmeriHealth New Jersey has one of the largest networks in the state, he added.
- Resources: Residents should also consider what resources are available through their health insurance company. On the web or via mobile devices, AmeriHealth New Jersey helps its members find providers, schedule appointments, and learn about wellness resources such as its Baby FootSteps® Program for expectant mothers.
“We provide our members with information about programs to help them live a healthier lifestyle, including health risk assessments and health coaches who can help navigate chronic conditions more effectively,” Munoz said.
The selection process
For more than 25 years, AmeriHealth New Jersey “has been dedicated to improving the health and well-being of people in our communities,” Munoz said. Part of that dedication includes making it easier for people to understand their health care options — “while providing optimal choice and affordability,” he said.
AmeriHealth New Jersey offers an online Subsidy Estimator Tool in which residents can enter their financial information “to see if they qualify for a subsidy,” Munoz said. It can be found at amerihealthnj.com, ahnj4u.com, or download the free AHNJ On the Go app.
Licensed sales agents are also available by phone at (888) 879-5331. The agents will make sure the caller “is fully informed about the available health plans, how they work, what the potential premiums are, and more,” Munoz said.
This is the seventh consecutive year AmeriHealth New Jersey has participated in the federal marketplace. “Despite uncertainties, we have remained committed to our community and the individual market,” Munoz said.
About AmeriHealth New Jersey
For 25 years AmeriHealth New Jersey* has been dedicated to enhancing the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve. Our members are at the center of everything we do. Since the onset of the Affordable Care Act, we have been committed to offering health plans on the Individual Marketplace, which has expanded access to coverage for New Jersey residents. We are exclusively focused on New Jersey with plans designed to meet the unique needs of individuals, small- and mid-sized businesses, municipalities and boards of education across the state. We also provide administrative services to self-funded groups. Named one of the Best Places to Work for the past eight years, and ranked 11th in 2019, AmeriHealth New Jersey is in Cranbury, N.J. For more information visit amerihealthnj.com.
*AmeriHealth Insurance Company of New Jersey | AmeriHealth HMO Inc.
