Health insurance, minus the jargon.
Short, honest guides so you can make a smart call, whether you work with me or not. No sales pitch, just plain English.
Here's the honest problem with health insurance: it's sold in a language nobody taught you. Premiums, deductibles, networks, coinsurance — the words all sound official, so people nod along, pick a plan off the first number they see, and find out in March what they actually bought. I've sat across from too many smart people who were paying for the wrong coverage simply because nobody ever explained the vocabulary.
That's what this section of the site is for. Each guide takes one decision you'll actually face, strips out the jargon, and shows you the real tradeoff underneath it. They're written the same way I talk to my own clients: plain English, real numbers, and no pretending one answer fits everyone. Read them in any order — though if you're brand new to buying your own coverage, start with premium vs. deductible, then move to plan types.
Five words that unlock everything else
Almost every confusing sentence in a health plan is built from a handful of terms. Get these down and the rest of the fine print starts reading like normal English.
Your monthly bill — what you pay just to keep the plan active, whether you use it or not. It's the first number you see, and the most misleading one to shop on alone.
What you pay out of your own pocket for care before the plan starts sharing costs. A low premium usually hides a high one of these.
The doctors and hospitals that have agreed to your plan's pricing. Every plan type — HMO, PPO, EPO, POS — is really just a different set of rules about this list.
Your share after the plan kicks in: either a flat fee per visit (copay) or a percentage of the bill (coinsurance, often 20%).
Your safety net. The most you can pay for covered, in-network care in a year — after this, the plan pays 100%. In a bad year, this number matters more than any other.
The yearly window when anyone can sign up or switch plans. Outside it, you need a qualifying life event — a move, a marriage, losing other coverage — to make a change.
The guides
Two are live now, with more on the way. If your question is less "how does insurance work" and more "what should I buy" — that's a different conversation, and the coverage page shows the kinds of plans I work with.
Premium vs. deductible
The two terms people mix up most, and getting them backwards can cost you real money. Here's what each one means and how they trade off.
Read the guide →HMO vs. PPO vs. EPO vs. POS
Four sets of initials, one real question: how much freedom do you want, and what will you pay for it? The plain-English breakdown, with a cheat-sheet table.
Read the guide →Guides I'm working on next
- Private plans vs. the ACA marketplace: which is right for you?
- COBRA is expensive. Here's what to check first.
- Self-employed? How to buy health insurance without an employer.
- Turning 26 and losing your parent's plan: your options.
Have a question you want answered? Text me and I'll turn it into a guide.
Rather just ask a real person?
That's what I'm here for. Tell me your situation and I'll walk you through it, free and with no pressure.
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