At indipop, we meet people of all ages and backgrounds.  The one common circumstance they share is being on their own to explore and enroll in healthcare options.  For a twenty-something who has been on their parent's plan their entire life this can be overwhelming and doubly confusing. Here are some of the stories that have been told to us by this group of young adults trying to be responsible and nail this adulting thing. 

Do you really know what you enrolled in?

Patrick (not his real name) reached out to me on LinkedIn with a "hey" and a request to review his current health plan to see if switching to indipop was a good idea. I asked Patrick to email me his plan, but upon review, I discovered that he didn't have healthcare coverage - only life insurance. I needed to inform Patrick that, for the past year, he hadn't been covered in the event of a major medical emergency. Sadly, Patrick wasn't the only one in this predicament - several others had also mistakenly believed they had healthcare coverage, only to find out that the bundled insurance products they had purchased didn't include major medical and hospitalization.

It can be confusing to navigate the different types of insurance products out there. While life insurance is a valuable product to have, it's important to also have coverage in place for unexpected medical emergencies, such as an accidental ACL tear while skiing or an emergency appendectomy - which, by the way, is one of the most common unplanned surgeries for people under 30!

You don’t need it, till you need it!

Let me introduce you to Megan (not her real name) - a young woman who was referred to Indipop by a friend. During our chat, she had a question about seeing a virtual healthcare provider. At 27 years old, Megan considered herself healthy and didn't see the need to spend money on a doctor's visit, especially since she wasn't on any medication and rarely got sick. I understand where she was coming from - healthcare costs can add up quickly. Unlike car insurance, which is straightforward with clear deductibles and outlined benefits, healthcare can seem confusing with all the different moving parts such as coding, claims, billing, physicians, and networks.

Megan had been lucky with good health over the past year until she realized that the bladder infection she had been self-treating was not improving. What could have been a simple $0-$25 copay for a primary care visit, lab work, and antibiotics may now turn into a costly ER visit or even a hospital stay. An average ER visit without insurance can cost up to $1200, and that's not including any tests or scans that may be needed.

Megan, you are not alone! We talk to people every day who are uninsured or need to enroll in a healthcare plan. When I ask why, the most common answer is that it's too confusing, followed by "I'm healthy." It's important to remember that unexpected health issues can arise, and having healthcare coverage can help prevent potentially devastating financial consequences.

I didn’t know what I didn’t know and almost made a huge mistake.

Brody (not his real name) is a sharp 23-year-old I met on one of my recent trips to Austin. He gave me a call to ask some questions about his recently enrolled healthcare plan. He was looking for affordable coverage that provided quality benefits, and he thought he had found just that. However, I had to let him know that he had enrolled in a Christian ministry health plan, which required him to sign a statement of faith that could potentially deny coverage if he drank too much. We discussed the possible implications of this, and I encouraged him to consider the risks.

I also pointed out some concerning factors in his plan, such as the fact that he would owe 30% of a medical bill and had no emergency room coverage. We talked through some medical examples and the price tag for general surgeries and hospital stays, Brody was understandably deflated. He had worked hard to find a healthcare plan that would be there for him in case of an unexpected event, but he was worried he had made the wrong choice.

Brody, we know searching for healthcare is not an easy task,  it can be overwhelming to navigate the complicated world of insurance plans. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, but you have options. And, regardless of age, we all want affordable, accessible healthcare that allows us to choose and keep our providers.

The right plan and the right price for you!

At indipop, we understand how challenging it can be to find the right plan. That's why we offer three major medical and hospitalization plans that cost less than $319 per month, and the most you'll pay for a surgery is $1,000, including all follow-up care. We also provide a dedicated team of experts to help you navigate your healthcare journey and ensure you always get the best care at the right cost.

Adulting can be tough, but you don't have to do it alone. If you're looking to enroll in your first healthcare plan or make a switch, indipop is here to help guide you every step of the way.