Navigating health insurance this harvard medical school guide will help you compare health plans estimate your costs understand medicare and medicaid benefits decipher your hospital bill take steps to avoid unexpected charges and reduce prescription drug costs understanding some basic concepts about health insurance will help you better . Having health insurance is important because it safeguards you from having to pay hundreds even thousands of dollars to cover your medical expenses by paying a monthly fee to an insurer the insurer guarantees that itll cover a certain percentage of costs or certain treatments procedures tied to your health. Navigating health insurance examines health insurance from the perspective of the consumer students are introduced to basic health insurance principles and terminology as well as types of insurance such as medicaid medicare medigap exchanges and others the impacts of the aca are explored as well as essential services and coverage decisions. Navigating health insurance is a practical balanced guide to understanding health insurance from the perspective of the consumer the text is a comprehensive yet accessible examination of the strengths and weaknesses of health insurance in the united states. I spoke to health care experts about everything you need to know about navigating health insurance at 26 for the first time on my own