You might wonder how CrowdHealth plans differ from traditional health insurance coverage in Illinois. First, we focus on ensuring your monthly plan price is budget-friendly. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the national average annual health insurance premium for an individual health plan in 2021 was more than $7,000. The family plan premium averaged $22,000, which represented a 22% increase over 2016. Unfortunately, health insurance providers often increase insurance premiums to earn greater profits. Our goal is to bring down your medical coverage costs. Securing a crowdfunding health plan can save you thousands in health insurance premium costs each year.

In addition to enjoying fantastic savings, crowdfunding plans allow you to avoid annoying insurance enrollment periods that restrict when and how you can pick a plan. Health insurance providers only allow customers to enroll in a new coverage plan or make adjustments to existing insurance coverage during open or special enrollment periods. At CrowdHealth, you can become a Member at any time and begin enjoying the benefits of our health plans right away.

It’s important to note that our plans are unable to offer the same guarantees as traditional health insurance coverage. If we make guarantees, we would be health insurance, which means our coverage would be regulated by the government and tied to the insurance restrictions we work hard to avoid. Oddly enough, while health insurance companies say their plans guarantee payments, they are fully capable of denying health coverage claims at their own discretion, leaving you with unexpected costs that could quickly add up. Our coverage plans aim to save you money, not hand you unnecessary burdens.

At CrowdHealth, we take pride in simplifying the payment process for health plans in Illinois. You never have to pay an insurance deductible before enjoying your coverage. Our process is easy and straightforward. Every Member pays up to $500 for each unique health event. When you visit your doctor, you will ask for the cash price of the health event and then pay your bill up to $500. If your care costs more than $500, you will submit a funding request to CrowdHealth. The Community fund will cover the amount of the health event that exceeds your $500 payment.

CrowdHealth also works with care providers to lower the price of your healthcare bills. Instead of simply paying the price a provider charges, we negotiate your price to give you a discount of between 30% and 60%. For example, if you have a planned procedure such as a major surgery, we can reduce the price before the date of the event. Even if you have an unexpected surgery that results in a bill worth more than $100,000, we can have the price reduced by up to 60% and then negotiate a payment plan that the Community will pay over a specified number of months. This is just one of many ways our coverage differs from health insurance plans in Illinois.

‍

While pregnancy is a beautiful journey, it can be overwhelming for expecting families who don’t have health insurance coverage. Health costs for a pregnancy not supported by a health plan can quickly climb into the thousands. In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has revealed that the national median charges for a childbirth hospital stay (delivery and care for the mother and newborn) add up to nearly $17,000. This doesn’t include prenatal or postpartum care.

At CrowdHealth, we aim to reduce the stress that could accompany the pregnancy journey of a family without insurance coverage. Our Illinois plans take a three-phase approach to funding maternity care by covering 1) prenatal care, 2) labor and delivery, and 3) postpartum care. Each maternity phase requires a $500 Member commitment. This means a pregnant Member will pay $500 for each of the three events for a total of $1,500. The remainder of the Member’s plan fees will be covered through the CrowdHealth Community fund. 

It’s important to note that a newborn’s care (the first six months following birth) is a separate event from maternity care. It will be included in the baby’s Membership once a new plan is added for the newborn following their birth.

Keep in mind that a pregnancy that began prior to acquiring a Membership plan will not be eligible for funding by the Community. Also, a newborn’s care won’t be eligible for coverage until six months post-birth. We want to make sure that CrowdHealth remains a viable, affordable alternative to health insurance coverage in Illinois. It will be difficult to do so if plans cover the significant costs of labor so soon after a Member joins.

One of the most challenging aspects of securing traditional health insurance plans in Illinois is navigating restrictions imposed by networks. If you’ve ever switched health insurance plans in Illinois, you might have noticed that a doctor you were seeing was no longer available under your new coverage because they were not a part of the network. Networks play a major role in the health insurance landscape.

In order for health insurance companies to attract customers, they have to make sure that area physicians and hospitals will accept their plans. The problem is many healthcare professionals and facilities in Illinois and across the country are linked to larger health care organizations like hospital networks. If for some reason, an Illinois insurance company and health care organization choose not to work together, the insurance company’s customers may be unable to visit associated doctors, treatment facilities, or hospitals as in-network patients. While some health insurance plans in Illinois will cover a portion of out-of-network costs, some don’t pay any of these expenses, which means a customer who switches their insurance plan in Illinois might have to find a new doctor.

At CrowdHealth, our plans make sure you never have to worry about losing your favorite doctor. When you select a Membership plan, you can continue seeing the doctor you prefer. You can also stick with a preferred hospital, treatment facility, or any other care provider you chose under a health insurance plan in Illinois. You deserve to work with any care provider you desire without restrictions imposed by traditional health insurance plans.

If you’re tired of wondering whether your Illinois health insurance provider will pay for a covered expense — or you have found an amazing doctor and worry that you’ll lose them by being forced to switch your health insurance plan — now’s the time to consider CrowdHealth as an alternative coverage option to traditional insurance in Illinois. Becoming a Member means you can immediately enjoy lower monthly costs and benefit from a Community that will fund health expenses whether you need a simple procedure or major surgery.

But the perks of becoming a plan Member don’t end there! When you select a CrowdHealth Membership plan in Illinois, you will never have to pay a deductible to start your coverage. You can enjoy the perks of crowdfunding in Illinois as soon you join the Community. You can also benefit from unlimited virtual health, discounted drug prescriptions, personal care advocacy, and much more. Of course, your plan will allow you to see any doctor you desire at any time without concerns about health enrollment periods. There is no limit to the benefits you can enjoy from our Illinois health plan.

Our goal is to make acquiring and using an Illinois health plan simple, effective, and easy on your wallet. We’re always working hard to make medical coverage more affordable for you, so there’s no need to continue searching for the cheapest health insurance in Illinois. If you’re interested in learning more about our medical plans, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Also, be sure to view our reviews from actual CrowdHealth Members. If you like what you see, feel free to sign up.