Health insurance doesn’t always cover 100% of your costs. In fact, it’s designed to share costs with you up until a certain point, called the out-of-pocket limit. After you hit the out-of-pocket limit, health insurance will pay 100% of your health care costs. There are a few ways that health insurance companies might share costs with you, and they make up major features of your health insurance plan that you need to be aware of: your deductible, your copayment, your coinsurance, and your out-of-pocket limit

Generally, there are two types of health insurance: public health insurance (like Medicaid, Medicare, and CHIP) and private health insurance. Most people have some form of private health insurance, whether they purchase it through a marketplace or get it from an employer. State exchanges and the federal exchange can offer consumers both public health insurance and private health insurance.

If you’re married but don’t have kids, you don’t need to buy health insurance as a family. You can buy individual plans from separate companies, if that makes sense for you and your spouse. You can also purchase a family plan from the marketplace.One of you can also be a dependent on the other’s employer-provided health insurance plan, if that’s available.

All health insurance plans that count as qualifying health insurance cover pregnancy and childbirth related services. Maternity care and childbirth are one of the 10 essential benefits required on qualifying health plans under the ACA. These services are covered even if you became pregnant before your coverage starts.Having a child counts as a qualifying event for a special enrollment period in which you can enroll in a new plan or switch plans. In the state of New York, becoming pregnant also qualifies you for a special enrollment period.Maternity care and childbirth are also covered by Medicaid and CHIP. If you qualify for Medicaid and CHIP and are pregnant, you can apply at any time during the year through your state agency or marketplace.

You can stay on a parent’s health insurance plan until you’re 26 years old, so no need to buy health insurance if your parents are willing to let you stay on their plan. You can also check your university for health insurance plans, which may be more affordable. This is an especially good option if you’re going to college out of state, as your parent’s plan’s network may not work in your state.

If you’re an active duty service member, your health care (and your family’s health care) is covered by TRICARE. You do not need to purchase additional health insurance to comply with the ACA

A fixed indemnity plan is one that pays a predetermined amount of money for any qualified medical services you receive. So, for example, if your plan specifies a $100 per day benefit for X-rays and you break your arm and have to get an X-ray, you are paid $100 from your plan. Because the benefit is preset and paid out regardless of what the total bill for the qualified service might be, fixed indemnity insurance is sometimes called fixed benefit insurance or fee for service insurance.

Don’t be confused. This type of plan provides limited benefits. It pays a certain amount per covered medical . It is not major medical insurance and does not provide the coverage mandated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), often called Obamacare. It does not provide coverage for all the essential health benefits outlined in the ACA. And unlike an ACA plan, it will most likely not provide coverage for expenses resulting from any preexisting medical conditions and maternity services. Read your plan carefully to see what is and what isn’t covered.

While a Hospital and Doctor fixed indemnity plan has no network limitations, if you have a major medical plan, you may need to stay with certain networks and providers to get the most coverage out of that plan. Be sure to take that into consideration.

When You shop on Marketplace the most common types of health insurance policies are HMOs, PPOs, EPOs or POS plans. The kind you choose will help determine your out-of-pocket costs and which doctors you can see.While comparing plans, look for a summary of benefits. Online marketplaces usually provide a link to the summary and show the cost near the plan’s title. A provider directory, which lists the doctors and clinics that participate in the plan’s network, should also be available.