Who are the best private health insurance companies in Georgia?

These days, it seems like just about everyone has a health insurance story to tell. Perhaps you’re one of the millions of Americans who have been unable to find an affordable health insurance plan, or maybe you’re one of the many who have been satisfied with the care and coverage that your health insurance plan provides. Whatever your situation may be, it’s clear that health insurance is a topic that impacts everyone. And while most people are familiar with the health insurance giants like Blue Cross, Aetna, and Cigna, the truth is that there are some great private health insurance companies that might be a better fit for your needs.

When searching for health coverage in Georgia, you actually have fewer options than the rest of the nation. Many providers don’t offer coverage for the whole state, but not to worry, we’ve compiled a list of the best private health insurance companies in Georgia below.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia

Blue Cross is one of the oldest and largest health insurance providers in the Peach State, BCBS of Georgiais also called Anthem, and they serve over 3.2 million people in the state. This number includes over 235,000 individuals who are not offered employer coverage. Blue Cross does offer private health insurance options or short term plans with 36 month terms.

Aside from offering health plans for individuals and employers, they also serve group life seniors with Supplemental Medicare, disability insurance, dental, vision, and 360-degree health. This provider’s network includes over 16,000 primary care physicians and specialists and 192 hospitals.

Alliant Health Plans

Alliant Health Plans offers policies for groups, families, and individuals in some Georgia counties. However, they are working on expanding coverage for more group and individual health plans.

With these plans, you can add dental insurance to your benefits via a partnership with the dental insurer Dominion National. This partnership provides members access to over 9,000 PPO dental offices in the state.

United Healthcare

This is another of the largest and most well-known health insurance providers in the country. United Healthcare PPO Networks Plans are available to individuals & families through private health insurance companies. HMO networks are available on the ACA marketplace in Georgia through www.healthcare.gov.

In Georgia, United Health Care offers coverage for hospital and doctor visits, as well as short-term and accident policies, so you can easily find the policy that works for you.

Ambetter from Peach State Health Plan

Ambetter is renowned for its affordable health coverage. Their plans beat all other carrier rates in the state and offer lower premiums than the competition for plans. In 2020, the company highlighted its Balanced Care 12 plan, which is a Silver HMO that offers a $10 copay for doctor visits, a $20 copay for hospital visits, and a $30 copay for visits to specialists. This plan also has a deductible of only $950 for individuals, so this service is almost unbeatable.

Kaiser Permanente

When choosing Kaiser Permanente for health insurance, you get more than just a provider. Kaiser offers healthcare centers spread around the state that provide a wide array of services. For example, you can visit urgent care centers, hospitals, general practitioners, and even facilities that host yoga and other community classes to promote healthy living.

Kaiser is an excellent option for those living in Athens or Atlanta, but it is also considered among the top 5 health insurance providers in Georgia, making it a great choice for most of the state.

What’s the average cost of health insurance in Georgia?

The average cost for a Bronze plan is $354, the Silver plan is $460, and the Gold plan is $538 as of 2019. However, it’s important to remember that the cheapest health insurance in Georgia may not be a fit for those who require expanded coverage. So, when choosing, consider purchasing the coverage that provides everything you need.

Types of Health Plans

Regardless if you’re shopping for health insurance plans through a broker or the marketplace, you’ll have plans from large brands with five levels of benefits from which to choose. These include:

Bronze: The policy covers 60% of your health expenses, and you pay 40% on average.
Silver: The policy covers 70% of your health expenses, and you pay 30% on average.
Gold: The policy covers 80% of your health expenses, and you pay 20% on average.
Platinum The policy covers 90% of your health expenses, and you pay 10% on average.
Catastrophic: These policies are high-deductible and best for those under 30 years of age. They are required to cover all preventative services and the initial three primary care visits at no cost to you, even when you haven’t reached your deductible.

These are the types of plans offered by most private health insurance companies in Georgia:

Health Maintenance Organizations: HMOs offer health care services based around a network of facilities and physicians. Hence, you must choose a primary care doctor within the network, and this person will refer you to specialists. These plans usually offer the least freedom but also ask for the least amount of paperwork to enroll.
Preferred Provider Organizations: PPOs also offer health care services via a network, but they give members lower out-of-pocket costs for seeing in-network doctors. What this means is that you may pay a $10 copay to see a network doctor, where you’ll have to pay the entire bill as a cash-payer with an out-of-network physician. However, 80% of the cost will be reimbursed by your policy. The benefit of a PPO is that you can see an in-network specialist without a referral.
Point-of-service plans: POS policies allow you plenty of time to pick a primary care doctor from a list of available providers. They do offer some coverage for facilities and doctors out of your network. They also offer plans that include health improvements and education services such as weight loss, nutrition, smoking cessation, diabetes management, and more.
Traditional Health Insurance: These are also known as fee-for-service plans comparable to auto insurance, where you pay a certain amount of medical expenses upfront in the form of a deductible. The insurance company then pays most of the bill.
Exclusive Provider Organization: EPOs are managed care plans that only cover services when you use hospitals, specialists, or doctors in the network, except in an emergency.

The Bottom Line

The best private health insurance companies in Georgia will offer you the most freedom in choosing your health care providers while also offering the lowest out-of-pocket costs. They’ll also provide the highest level of coverage, including coverage for pre-existing conditions, which is a significant perk. Most of all, the best private health insurance companies in Georgia will offer you great value for your money. This is why it’s so important to do your research and find the company that best suits your needs.