• Aetna
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield
• Green Mountain Care

• Supplemental Medigap Insurance
• Medicare Advantage Insurance
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield

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• Humana
• SecureHorizons by UnitedHealthcare
• Unicare
• Universal American

What is Vermont Health Insurance?

Health insurance is a general term used to describe many kinds of insurance coverage. Generally, when people say "health insurance", they mean comprehensive medical insurance. This is the broadest kind of health insurance and covers most of the costs of keeping you healthy and getting you healthy if you become ill, such as doctor's visits, hospital care, tests, certain therapies and sometimes prescription drugs. Comprehensive medical insurance also includes Medicare and Medicaid, which are presented later.

Other Types of Insurance Are:

• Disability insurance. Disability policies provide income when you cannot work or coverage for expenses if you cannot do your regular job.
• Long-term care insurance. Long-term care insurance policies help pay for the costs of nursing home, home health, adult day care and other similar types of care.
• Medicare supplemental insurance ("medigap"). These policies pay for some costs not covered by Medicare, like deductibles and coinsurance.
• Accident and other limited insurance. Policies for accidents, accidents and sickness, and accidental death and dismemberment can pay benefits to the policyholder, surviving family members, or to health care providers.
• Blanket insurance. This is a specific policy for students or a similar defined group.
• Dental insurance. This insurance pays for dental services by a dentist.

Please note that workers' compensation coverage and discount health plans are not considered health insurance.

If you have questions about any of these coverage types, call consumer assistance at the Division of Health Care Administration at 800-631-7788. For information on employment-related injuries, call the Vermont Department of Labor at 802-828-2286.

A New Way to Pay and Save for Medical Costs: Health Savings Accounts

Health Savings Accounts (HSA) became available under federal law January 1, 2004. A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a savings fund that offers consumers an option to pay for some of their health care with tax-free dollars. HSAs allow you to pay for current medical expenses and save for future qualified medical and retiree health expenses on a tax-free basis. You must be covered by a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) to be able to take advantage of HSAs. You own and control the money in your HSA. Decisions on how to spend the money on qualified medical expenses are made by you. Examples of qualified medical expenses include medical services not paid by your insurance policy, prescription drugs, premiums for continuation of health insurance under COBRA, certain long term care services and federally-tax qualified long-term care premiums, health insurance premiums during a period of unemployment, premiums for Medicare Part A, B, and D (but not Medicare Supplement insurance) and the employee share of health insurance premiums for retirees over 65 for employer-sponsored plans.

You will also decide what types of investments to make with the money in the account in order to make it grow, similar to an IRA (individual retirement account). Banks, credit unions, insurance companies and other approved financial institutions can offer HSAs; you should ask if your bank or credit union provides HSAs. In addition, a health insurance company may offer an HSA along with the High Deductible Health Plan.

For more information about HSAs, call us at 800-631-7788 or 802-828-2900 to request a fact sheet or visit our website at www.bishca.state.vt.us.