Mary Shares her Mastering Health Insurance Story in Detroit, MI

Mary is a consultant to local businesses and the caretaker for her frail parents. But 18 months after being laid off, COBRA coverage through her former employer was ending. She answered a few questions for us.

• Where did she shop for coverage? Mary’s income made her eligible for subsidies, but she had to shop on the federal marketplace to get them.
• Who helped her? Mary worked with a local broker who had lots of experience with health insurance carriers and the federal marketplace.
• Why was she able to enroll now? Mary qualified for a special enrollment period because her COBRA coverage was ending.
• Which options did she consider? Mary’s options included (for example) a local hospital-based health plan, PPO with a national carrier and high-deductible plan with a Blues plan.
• How did she choose? She found a plan with her current carrier that included her primary care physician in the network and a specific drug that she takes in the formulary.
• How much is she spending? Her premium is less than she’d been paying for COBRA, but the deductible is more. She expects her total cost (premium + out-of-pocket expenses) to be the same given her needs.
• What else? Mary knows to confirm that the marketplace has processed her paperwork and to pay her monthly premium.

While Mary hopes to have a new job that offers employer-sponsored health insurance, she’s happy to be covered. In other words, she’s Mastering Health Insurance.