Approximately how much would it cost me to buy health insurance for myself not through my work?

I live in Louisiana and have no serious medical issues. I don't know which medical plan to use. I've looked at Blue Cross so far.
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I also need it to cover birth control for my medical issues. It seems like women have it so much worse medically.

It depends on your age, your health, your location, the provider, what type of insurance you want... a lot of things.

This is something that's highly personal and can't be answered by some dude, sitting in his underwear, online. =D

Expect to spend, at least, $100/month for an OK plan.

Get a list of all the local providers and go to their sites. It's going to be a ***** - confusing, time consuming, frustrating - but you'll be happy you did it.

Depending on your age it is expensive. You can save money by getting a high deductible or a catastrophe plan..

The best way to find a good policy is through an independent agent. This person works with all the major companies and knows the plans available in your area. They can find the best plan for your situation and budget. The plan and the premium is the same whether you use an agent or if you buy directly from the company. The cost depends upon your age, height and weight, what medical issues you may have, the parish that you live in, if you smoke, the type of plan and deductible, among others.

Do not try to do this over the internet. It'll take you several days to intelligently compare all the plans available. Also, if you have any pre-existing conditions that might add a rider to the policy or cause you to be declined or if you are out of the height and weight guidelines you won't know until you've applied and gone through the underwriting process. A medical issue as small as asthma may result in a rider.

You may get answers here concerning medical discount cards. Be very wary of these cards. They are not regulated by the Department of Insurance nor do the people that sell them need to be licensed. This means you have little recourse when you have problems with the plan. If you are tempted by the low price and claims of â€œsave up to 80%â€ be aware that very few doctors actually take these cards. It does you little good if you have to drive 4 hours to find a doctor that will accept the card. Montana couldnâ€™t find any doctors in the whole state that actually took the card and only one dentist who was on probation for unlawful activities so they banned the sale of the card and fined the company. See this link http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/west/2006/11/22/74554.htm for more information. Many other states are starting to ban these cards as well.

Before signing up with any discount plan get a list of doctors. If they wonâ€™t give you a list consider it to be a scam. Call the doctors on the list to make sure theyâ€™re still taking the card (many donâ€™t even know that theyâ€™re listed as a provider) and that theyâ€™re accepting new patients.

check at the banks, they offer good coverage as a rule

check www.unicare.com. I've had them for 5 years in Virginia and it's good solid insurance. No frills, not a lot of extras, but it does cover the basics and emergencies. If you're female, be aware, it does not cover birth control.

If you're 25, about $200 a month.

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