Under 30? You are Eligible for a Low Cost Catastrophic Health Plan
For the young and healthy, a Catastrophic Plan may be an affordable way to protect yourself from worst-case scenarios, like serious illness or injury. Available to those under 30, it is a type of plan that offers lower-than-average premium in exchange for higher-than-average deductibles.
Under health care reform, a Catastrophic plan still covers 100% of preventive care at no cost, even before you pay the deductible, when services are delivered by a doctor or provider in your plan network.
As with any health plan, it is important to look at the out-of-pocket maximum feature. In a Catastrophic plan this is a high number, so it is important to assess if you could afford that amount should the unexpected happen. But looking at it another way, if you end up with a $30,000 bill (the average cost of a 3-day hospital stay) you will only pay expenses up to the plan’s out-of-pocket maximum.
If you are under 30, a Catastrophic health plan can be a good safety net to protect you in case of unexpected medical costs. Contact any of the Amherst Chamber’s three staff health insurance brokers for more information at 716-632-6905 or email
healthinsurance@amherst.org.