Online Health Plan Comparison Tools

Offering simple and easy-to-use online plan comparison tools is essential for connecting consumers with the right coverage. This will be the foundation of the streamlined marketplaces that will allow consumers to see how health insurance plans, prices and companies stack up when reviewed side-by-side.

Once a consumer provides a little personal information they will get a laundry list of plans they have to wade through on their own. Understandably, many consumers don't know where to start. That is why it is important that consumers have informational tools available at their fingertips to understand the complexities of insurance. Also access to a live agent through the entire process of researching, shopping, comparing and purchasing will help a consumer find the right coverage.

Online comparison tools allow consumers to look at their options from a few different angles and narrow down the full list of plans to see options that fit their health care needs. Consumers can view plans by comparing:

• Rates. If a consumer has a budget in mind, they can narrow down the search results to a few policies that will fit their monthly budget. Consumers can also view how deductibles and coinsurance rates will match to certain monthly premium.
• Insurance carriers. Many consumers may prefer a certain carrier because of previous coverage, ratings or benefits provided by the carrier.
• Plan benefits. With online comparison tools, consumers can review plans based on price and benefits to find the plan that has their highest priority features.

Consumers can use online applications to find their health insurance plans by using:

• Sort features. An individual who wants a plan that provides comprehensive coverage could sort from high to low cost. Or sort through plans that have the most coverage to plans that have the least coverage.
• Filter features. If a consumer knows they do not want a certain carrier, they could filter a particular carrier out and only look at others. That same feature can be used on cost and plan benefits too.
• Side-by-side comparison. When a consumer has narrowed down to a few plans they can then compare just these plans side-by-side to make a final decision.

The platforms that launch across the United States will have all of the information that is necessary for consumers to make health care choices while remaining user-friendly. With online comparison tools consumers will be able to access plans in a variety of ways to ensure they are happy with their coverage – making health care reform a success.