Health insurance for retirees has a host of options! Retirement, a time in life when our employment may be done but not our other activities and needs. Health insurance is one of the most important. If you retire at age 65, you are likely eligible for Medicare and you will need to investigate its coverages and options.

If you retire before you are 65, and your employer offers continuing insurance of some kind that is an option. Today many retirees have a gap between their retirement date and age 65 and find there is a need for best health insurance for retired seniors. The major source for health insurance for those not covered by an employer’s plan, Medicare or Medicaid and under the age of 65 is the Marketplace.

The Marketplace is that part of the ACA or Affordable Care Act which provides for health insurance coverage for millions of people who had no insurance coverage at all. Its provisions removed barriers like pre-existing conditions, added subsidies to help families and individuals pay for their own health plans and allowed young adults to remain on their parents' policies until age 26.

This Marketplace is a good source for private health insurance for retirees to cover them until they are Medicare eligible especially for those who do not have a retiree plan available through your employer. If you are Medicare eligible then your options include traditional Medicare Parts A&B, a Medicare Advantage Plan, Medigap or other supplemental coverage as well as prescription drug plans and available vision, dental and hearing plans.

The best source for that information is to be found at medicare.gov. It is a source for accurate and current information to help inform your medical insurance coverage after age 65. Even if you have not reached the age of eligibility it would be a good practice to look over that website from time to time to see what is on offer for the medicare eligible.                     

ACA plans come in levels ranging from bronze to platinum. These levels and their premiums are dictated by the level of out of pocket, copays and deductibles. The lowest level or bronze is often chosen by people who want protection for catastrophic illnesses but are willing to pay for most routine services out of pocket. In general the lowest level will pay 60% of the bill and the individual 40% and as we ascend the scale to platinum more is covered but the premium increases as the individual has less out of pocket, copay or deductible expense.

Health insurance for disabled under 65 may include Medicaid or early eligibility for Medicare benefits. The source for Medicaid which is a combined effort of state and federal government is available on each individual state website and medicare.gov for disabled eligibility for traditional Medicare.

At ConsumerCoverage.com you can explore the possibilities for retiree coverage for those under 65 and not as yet eligible for Medicare. The ACA Marketplace insurers are there with individual policies that must at least meet the standards required by the ACA but may exceed them and provide coverage for things not deemed required by ACA. At ConsumerCoverage.com there are free, comparative quotes of many types of health plans available. Comparing plans will allow you to get the most for your insurance dollar and receive the coverage that you need.