Health insurance: How it protects you from health and financial risks


No one plans to get sick or hurt, but most people need medical care at some point. Health insurance covers these costs and offers many other important benefits.

  • Health insurance covers essential health benefits critical to maintaining your health and treating illness and accidents
  • Health insurance protects you from unexpected, high medical costs.
  • You pay less for covered in-network health care, even before you meet your deductible.
  • You get free preventive care, like vaccines, screenings, and some check-ups, even before you meet your deductible.
  • If you have a Marketplace plan or other qualifying health coverage through the plan year 2018, you don’t have to pay the penalty that people without coverage must pay.