What is health insurance?

If you ever wonder what exactly is health insurance in the US, it is a formal agreement to provide and/or pay for medical care. The policy that is issued by the insurance company is called the health insurance policy which describes what medical services are "covered" by the insurance company. When you read any policy, pay extra attention to the part of medical service that's NOT covered by insurance company.

There two major insurance programs. Private and public. Most women obtain health insurance through their employer. If they're stay-at-home moms, they're usually listed as a "dependent" in a family plan. There also are public health insurance plans funded by the federal and state governments.



Source: Office on Women's Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.