What is health insurance?

Health insurance provides a way for people to receive health care services without having to bear the cost alone. While many people get health insurance through their employers, others pay for private health insurance policies. Still others get health insurance through the government with programs like Medicaid or Medicare. There are several types of health insurance plans, including a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), Point of Service (POS) plan, or Consumer Driven Health (CDH) plan.

Typically, your health insurance will cover part of the cost of your doctor's visit as well as tests, treatments and prescription drugs. Most health insurance plans require you to meet a deductible, which is the annual amount you have to pay out-of-pocket before your health plan will start to pay for any covered health care expenses. Each health insurance plan varies, so be sure to review the options available to you and pick the plan that best meets your needs.

Health insurance is a formal agreement to provide and/or pay for medical care. The health insurance policy describes what medical services are "covered" by the insurance company. There are medical services that are not "covered" and will not be paid by your insurance company.

There are a variety of private and public health insurance programs. Most women obtain health insurance through their employer or as a "dependent" in a family plan. There also are public health insurance plans funded by the federal and state governments.

This information is based on source information from the National Women's Health Information Center.