Health insurance can be a fantastic resource but can also be a hindrance. In the US, where insurance costs continuously rise, millions of people are searching for options to help them manage medical care costs.
According to Forbes, the average monthly health insurance cost for a 30-year-old individual ranges from about $400-600, an estimate that doubles and even triples for older adults.
It’s no wonder so many Americans are looking for viable alternatives to health insurance – even the best plans can cost hundreds each month, but they still only give you limited access to services.
Fortunately, some alternatives to traditional health insurance make accessing the care you deserve more approachable.
The best choice for you depends on your preferences and needs.
No matter what, Craft Concierge’s membership plans are an accessible alternative to insurance that can help most people pay for customizable medical care that fits their needs.
Note: This article is meant simply for educational purposes. It should not substitute advice from a medical professional. Contact Craft Concierge to speak with a medical professional or learn more about care memberships.
Key Takeaways
- There are many alternatives to health insurance, including care memberships, cost-sharing plans, discount cards, and self-pay, among others.
- For most people, the best alternative to traditional health insurance is a care membership, which balances affordability with accessibility. Members pay a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee to access essential health services. The cost of care goes directly to a provider, so there’s no need for approval or oversight from a third party.
- Even if you use one or more health insurance alternatives, you may still want at least some form of insurance to pay for emergency room visits and hospital stays.
- Craft Concierge offers direct primary care memberships that can be affordable alternatives to health insurance. Choose from our basic or comprehensive membership to access the services that best suit your needs and budget.
Top 6 Viable Alternatives to Health Insurance
Before we dive into specifics, let’s preview some of the most popular alternatives to health insurance and how they work.
Alternative | What it is | Ideal for… |
Care memberships | Members pay a regular fee for access to care services, sort of like a subscription service | Those wanting more control over care or to pay an affordable fee each month instead of deductibles or premiums |
Medical cost sharing | All members pool money into a group fund that is used to pay for care services | Religious individuals who can afford insurance but want better coverage for services |
Discount cards | Discount cards help you save money on specific services from certain providers | People with health insurance who want to supplement it or pay for additional health services |
Indemnity insurance | A plan that pays a certain amount of the costs of care, no matter the total bill | Individuals who don’t anticipate needing many health services but do need preventative healthcare |
Catastrophic health plans | A plan that protects you in worst-case scenarios where you face serious injury or illness | Young adults with few health needs and an increased risk of serious health risks |
Self-payment | An individual pays the entire cost of care out of pocket | Very few people; this option is risky and can be limiting |
1. Primary Care Memberships
Care memberships allow individuals to access medical services – like doctor’s appointments, imaging tests, etc. – for a set monthly, quarterly, or annual fee. This fee gets paid directly to a provider and covers a set of services outlined by the membership plan.
Craft Concierge offers two types of care memberships, each suited for a different level of need. Our basic primary care membership grants unlimited access to appointments, acute visits with your provider, annual core labs, advanced diagnostic imaging, medication, and more.
Meanwhile, our comprehensive care membership includes additional, specialized services in addition to essential health care. Our Cardiovascular, Lifestyle Optimization, and Early Cancer Detection Programs connect patients with even more specific and relevant health services to support their needs.
Who benefits the most from primary care memberships?
A primary or advanced care membership plan is a good fit for most people looking for alternatives to health insurance. Care memberships are generally more affordable than monthly insurance bills, and they can still provide the basic services that just about everyone needs to protect their health.
It’s important to remember, though, that care memberships have some drawbacks, just like any other alternative health insurance option.
Most care memberships can’t cover emergency room visits or catastrophic health events, so if you have severe health needs, they may not be the best long-term solution.
However, a membership can help you cover the cost of basic and essential health services while you pay for an insurance plan to cover more significant medical expenses.
Care Membership Costs
The amount you pay for a care membership will vary depending on the provider you visit and the plan you purchase.
At Craft Concierge, our basic care memberships start at $150, and our comprehensive plans start at $350. Our memberships are designed to be flexible so that they can offer the care and costs that fit your needs and budget.
2. Medical Cost-Sharing Programs
Cost-sharing programs rely on members to pay into a fund and essentially share each other’s medical costs.
Everyone contributes to the group fund and can use it to be reimbursed for health care costs.
Many medical cost-sharing programs are faith-based and are thus sometimes known as “health-sharing ministries.”
Paying into a cost-sharing program is very similar to paying an insurance premium.
But instead of using traditional insurance to pay for services upfront, you receive reimbursement to cover costs afterward.
Who benefits the most from cost-sharing programs?
Those who are part of a faith-based community or don’t mind being affiliated with one might be a good fit for a cost-sharing program. It’s also ideal for anyone open to being reimbursed for services instead of having access to funds at the time of the service.
Different cost-sharing programs have unique rules and exceptions, so whether one is right for you will likely depend on your available options.
Medical Cost-Sharing Program Costs
Cost-sharing programs can be affordable or pricey; it all depends on the program and its administrators.
Some families may pay several hundred or even up to $1,000 per month for access to coverage.
However, most people pay an amount similar to the average health insurance premium for their program.
3. Medical Service Discount Cards
Medical or health discount cards are not insurance plans, but they can help you save money on certain health services from specific providers.
As their name implies, these cards give you a discount at participating locations.
You’ll have to pay a fee to get the card itself, but after that, the cost of care is your responsibility. Your discount card might help lower the cost, but it won’t actually pay for anything.
Who benefits the most from health discount cards?
Those looking to supplement insurance coverage for some health services might find that a health discount card is a game-changer.
For instance, if your insurance plan has poor coverage options for dental care, a discount card might help you pay for regular check-ups (as long as you visit an approved provider).
Medical Service Discount Card Costs
The only cost associated with a medical service discount card, at least in most cases, is the cost of the card. You may need to pay a monthly fee to continue accessing and using the card’s benefits.
Remember, though, that the costs you pay for the card don’t translate to coverage – they just help you ensure you can save money on specific services.
4. Indemnity Health Insurance Policies
Indemnity insurance is a supplemental option that pays out certain amounts each time you access a certain health service.
For example, an indemnity plan might promise to pay $50 every time you visit your primary care provider for up to three visits – or $150 total – a month.
The rest of the cost associated with care is your responsibility; your indemnity insurance is only there to help you cover what you owe.
Who benefits the most from indemnity health insurance?
People who have another health insurance option but want to supplement or improve coverage usually benefit the most from indemnity insurance.
It’s also a good fit for those who regularly need preventative health care, which often isn’t covered by regular insurance plans.
Since these plans can be expensive, they’re usually best for those who plan to use them frequently enough to make them truly worth it.
Indemnity Insurance Costs
Many indemnity insurance plans are just as expensive, if not more, than a traditional health insurance plan.
Plus, some plans will only cover certain services, like hospital stays or cancer treatment.
You may pay upwards of $1,000 per month for a family while still needing to rely on other insurance or payment options to cover the full range of care services you need.
5. Catastrophic Health Plans
Catastrophic health insurance policies are specifically designed for individuals under 30 years of age. Older adults (over age 30) may also be eligible for one if they qualify for a hardship exemption.
These health plans come with low monthly premiums, but they also have very high deductibles. Their goal is to protect against high-cost medical events that are hard to predict like hospital stays.
They’re designed to be affordable options for protecting yourself from absolute worst-case scenarios where you may be seriously injured or sick.
As a result, catastrophic insurance won’t cover most routine medical expenses.
Who benefits the most from catastrophic insurance?
Young adults without children who may be at risk of serious injury or illness due to their job, lifestyle, or other circumstances are the best fit for catastrophic health plans.
If you have little to no health needs but want an option that will help you out in case of a rare emergency, this might be the right pick for you.
Catastrophic Health Insurance Costs
Catastrophic plan costs vary but have low monthly premiums and higher-than-average deductibles. That means you’ll have to pay a lot out of pocket for health services before your plan “kicks in” and helps out.
However, you won’t have to pay a copay or coinsurance once you hit your deductible amount – at that point, your insurance company will pay for all covered services.
6. Self-Payment
Self-payment is just what it sounds like: paying for services as needed out of pocket by yourself.
You pay 100% of the costs of care, and an insurance company never steps in to help out. As such, self-payment is distinct from paying for deductibles, premiums, or copays; it’s like being your own insurance company.
Who benefits the most from self-payment?
The truth is that almost no one benefits from relying entirely on self-payment for health services. Unless you happen to be extremely wealthy, the costs of care will likely be too great to manage independently. Even if you could hypothetically afford to pay for all services alone, it probably makes more sense to opt for an insurance plan to save money.
This isn’t to say there are never circumstances where self-pay might be preferable. It works in a pinch if you need access to a service your insurance doesn’t or won’t cover.
It might also be your best bet for unexpected medical expenses that you can genuinely afford to pay upfront. Some providers may offer a discount on the cost of care if you pay for it out-of-pocket, too.
Overall, self-payment only works for those with plenty of money to spare and little to no health needs.
Self-Pay Costs
Everything you pay for comes directly out of your pocket, so your self-payment costs will match the overall cost of care you receive. That might include paying for appointments, medications, tests, procedures, etc.
Health Insurance Alternatives: Things to Consider
Clearly, there are plenty of alternatives to health insurance to consider, but not all of them are made equal. The best option for you and your family comes down to your needs.
Below are a few more important reminders to keep in mind as you make your decision.
Things aren’t always black and white.
Considering alternatives to health insurance doesn’t necessarily mean you need to decide whether to have insurance at all. You can have some form of health insurance and still use alternatives like those above to make care more accessible and affordable.
In fact, it’s a good idea to have at least some health insurance coverage for emergency medical services. Even if you manage the costs of regular care effectively, it never hurts to have a safety net you can count on should something unexpected arise.
Insurance doesn’t cover everything.
Having an insurance policy doesn’t grant you coverage for any and everything. In other words, you’re not exempt from potentially needing to use an alternative option just because you already have insurance.
Even good insurance plans can be limiting, and there are plenty of reasons to want or need medical services that your policy simply doesn’t pay for.
What works for one person may not apply to everyone.
Your needs matter most when choosing an alternative to traditional health insurance. A young adult in their 20s living in a small apartment will have very different needs than an adult in their 40s with two children and a home.
Don’t be afraid to make the decision that feels right to you, and make sure you take time to assess all of the pros and cons for each option.
Craft Concierge Breaks Down the Barriers of Traditional Health Insurance
At Craft Concierge, our mission is to allow you to craft your health your way. If that means choosing a membership plan as an alternative to health insurance, that’s great!
If it means using a membership plan to help cover the cost of care in addition to insurance, that’s also great.
No matter how you plan to manage your healthcare costs, we’re here to work with you.
Our flexible care memberships have no hidden fees and affordable monthly rates, giving you the power to customize your approach to health management. In most cases, our membership plans are more affordable than traditional insurance.
Not only can Craft Concierge help you save money, but we can also give you access to unlimited appointments and direct communication with your doctor that you can’t find in traditional healthcare systems.
Say goodbye to needing approval from your insurance provider to access services you need – you’re in the driver’s seat, and you get to make choices about your care.
It’s time to rethink how we manage our health. Craft Concierge delivers quality primary and advanced care services that fit your needs and budget so that you don’t have to rely on insurance to receive the support you deserve. We are your source for direct primary care in Tulsa and direct primary care in Tampa, designed to match you and your family.
To learn more about our care memberships, contact us today. We’re always here to answer your questions and help you learn how to get started.
