Golden Rule medical insurance plans are a popular option for many consumers in the US. UnitedHealthcare (UHC), the parent company, makes it easy to apply for a quality, yet affordable policy. If you need comprehensive, student, temporary, high-deductible or HSA coverage, UHC  plans will likely offer the benefits that you need. Their entire portfolio is available on our website, and both on and off-Exchange options are available in selected states. Temporary healthcare quotes take about a minute to view.

Although UnitedHealthcare continues to maintain a presence on several state and federal Exchanges, along with Kaiser and Cigna, they have substantially reduced the number of areas where federally-subsidized plans are offered. However, supplementary options, such as short-term, travel. dental, vision, critical illness, and other benefits, continue to be offered by Golden Rule in most states. Plans are offered throughput the entire year, and Open Enrollment deadlines do not impact plans. Depending on the state, coverage can be purchased from 1-36 months.

History

UHC is a division of UnitedHealth group, the largest health insurance carrier in the US. Through all of their companies, more than 70 million Americans are insured with access to a nationwide network that includes more than 800,000 physicians and others in the field, 80,000 dentists and 6,000 hospitals. We offer their personal products at the lowest possible rates and as always, there are never any costs for utilizing our website. UHC offers a rare combination of low-cost, quality, and innovative coverage.

Most importantly, UHC is rated “A” by A.M. Best Company, one of the premier rating agencies in the industry. Perhaps that’s why more than 50 of the top 100 Fortune 500 companies choose to do business with them. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol UNH), shares can be purchased on the open market. Although corporate mergers have been popular in the industry, UHC is not currently not considering purchasing another large carrier. The UHC Children’s Foundation has provided more than $50 million in grants to help pay children’s medical expenses not fully covered by conventional plans. UHC has contributed more than $1 billion to charities in the last 20 years.

Many Low-Cost Choices

We specialize in making it easy for you to choose and compare the most highly-rated plans from  any of the  insurers. Whether you are self-employed, paying for existing coverage or without coverage, we’ll  investigate and research the best companies and help choose the plans that suit your needs the best, including Golden Rule or any other company. GR policies are often the least-expensive short-term plan offered in your area. Flexible benefits allow consumers to customize benefits to meet family budgets.

The ACA (Affordable Care Act) federal subsidy applies to all Marketplace plans, which can substantially lower your premium. Your eligibility for the financial aid is determined by your household income. We can quickly calculate and inform you of the amount of the subsidy, and which plans will best take advantage of the premium reductions. In many states, supplementary coverage is offered to help reduce out-of-pocket expenses from other Marketplace plans. Although non-ACA plans are not eligible for the instant federal tax credit, often, the cost of coverage is substantially less than an Obamacare plan.

Free health insurance with help from federal subsidies.

You Could Receive Thousands Of Dollars From Obamacare To Help Pay Your Premium.

Cheapest Golden Rule Plans

A basic policy at a much lower cost than “Gold” or “Platinum” plans was the “Saver”  (catastrophic) contract. You can find details here. It has been modified to meet Obamacare guidelines, and is now only available to applicants under age 30. However, if you qualify for a special income exemption, you will be able to purchase the policy. It is possible that you will be required to show documentation of income. Since UHC only offers Exchange plans in several states, this plan may not be available in your area.

There are many “hardship categories” that allow you to qualify for a catastrophic-tier Marketplace contract. Some of these include: domestic violence, death of an immediate family member, cancellation of existing plan and options are too expensive, bankrupt within last 180 days, unpaid medical bills within the last 12 months, and domestic violence. The full list is available upon request.

Several optional  benefits are available, although they would have to be added separately. Vision coverage can be added for  exams, lenses, frames and contacts. A $10 or $25 copay applies to most services. Accidental death protection of $50,000 is also available, Yourself and your spouse are eligible. And finally,  a supplemental accident benefit from $500 to $10,000 per accident can be added. The purpose of this rider is to help offset your deductible and coinsurance for expenses within three months of an accidental injury.

The deductible for catastrophic contracts is typically higher ($8,550), although since there is often no coinsurance, once you meet the deductible, there is no out-of-pocket expense (for covered benefits). Three covered symptomatic  office visits to your primary care physician are generally covered at 100%, or with a small copay. There is no limitation for preventive expenses that are also covered in full for all family members. Prior to 2014, this policy was referred to as a “Value” contract.

Previously-Available UHC Marketplace Plans

UnitedHealthcare’s “Compass” policy was one of the most popular comprehensive medical insurance plans in the US and is available in the Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers. It is designed for individuals or families that prefer lower out-of-pocket expenses on office visits and prescriptions. Typically, if you are being treated for a chronic illness or injury, or have a condition that requires ongoing treatment, this type of policy may be the most appropriate.

The Bronze plans had a higher deductible ($7,150), basic drug coverage and  coinsurance after the deductible is met. Silver plans offer several deductible options ($2,500 is the lowest) with various RX copays that are more comprehensive than the Bronze contract.

Gold plans offer $1,000 deductible (and higher) options.  If you are healthy and do not qualify for a federal subsidy, the Gold and Platinum options may be the least cost-effective  plans available. However, if your situation changes, you can always switch back during the OE period.

FACT Membership

UHC Family Plans

Golden Rule Family Health Insurance Plans

Basic dental coverage was previously included with the “FACT”  (Federation Of  American Consumers And Travelers) membership that accompanies all UHC medical plans. The “FACT” benefits were offered at different coverage levels. You were able to elect a full-service dental or vision package that will provide an enhanced benefit feature not found in the “FACT” provided benefits. FACT is a consumer organization that provides many benefits, including Medi-Vac coverage, accidental death and dismemberment coverage, and discounts on hotels, vehicles, and travel expenses.

Many FACT plans include telemedicine benefits. Online office visits with physicians are available 24/7. You can be at work, home, or another remote location. Generally, the cost is approximately $38 per session, and symptoms, treatments, and possible prescriptions can be privately discussed. The flu, common colds, allergy-related symptoms, and sinus infections are often effectively treated. Immediate family members are also eligible for benefits.

Older UnitedHealthcare (Golden Rule) plans included a “basic” FACT membership in their plan design. Some of the benefits that were included in individual and family policies were:

$5,000 of accidental death coverage

Travel benefits

Limited grants and scholarships

Pet insurance discount

Prescription drug discount card

Moving  lines perks

Disaster aid.

Certainly, many of these features you never used. But if you did, you likely saved  hundreds of dollars, which made the FACT membership a fairly valuable perk.

HSA Plans

HSA plans are affordable alternatives to comprehensive health care and their rates are among the lowest in the industry. Typically, an HSA will cost 20%-50% less than a comprehensive plan. The savings in premium can be deposited into the HSA side account and used to pay for qualified medical, dental and vision expenses on a tax-free basis.

Any unused funds in the HSA rolls over every year, so you can quickly accumulate money to use for a potential catastrophic claim. Interest is also paid on the accumulation, although rates are extremely low. These plans were protected when the State Exchanges started in 2014. They remain one of the few attractive options for high-income earners.

The two contracts previously available were the  Bronze 100 and Silver 100 policies. Both plans paid 100% of covered medical expenses once the deductible was met, since there was no coinsurance. The Bronze option featured lower premiums since the individual deductible was $6,350. The deductible was only $3,650 for the Silver option. Like other plans, additional riders were available.

Golden Rule’s  HSA featured one family deductible instead of individual deductibles. Thus, each family member’s medical expenses count towards the deductible. Once that amount is reached, 100% of all covered claims are paid on all family members. Prior to the deductible being met, negotiated network discounts will reduce the out-of-pocket expenses. This can make a big difference in office visit charges and especially lab tests and X-rays. We have always been a major proponent of using this type of policy. Many other policies have a deductible “per person.” It’s possible this type of plan will return from UHC within the next few years.

Temporary Medical Coverage

One of the least expensive personal medical policies in the nation is the “short-term” plan. Strictly offering catastrophic benefits, major medical coverages are included with deductible options from $500 to $10,000. Since office visit and prescription coverages are limited and subject to a deductible, rates are very low. This plan is popular for individuals and families that prefer to insure against major claims only. Your savings should offset many other medical costs that you incur.

Although quite popular, it’s important to understand that temporary plans do not include many “mandated” benefits that are required from prior legislation. Maternity/pregnancy expenses, for example, are not covered.  Also, these contracts are lightly underwritten, so acceptance is not guaranteed. Pre-existing conditions are generally not covered and annual benefits are capped at $2 million.