Welcome To Alternative Health Plan Reviews
The #1 place to compare alternative health plans
Alternative Health Plan Reviews is the top place to learn about alternative health plans available. Read reviews from members and learn how they compare.
Health Plan Alternatives
When Traditional Health Insurance Does Not Work
On our review website, we recognize that healthcare costs can be steep, and conventional insurance plans may not be accessible to many Americans who do not receive coverage through work or government programs. Fortunately, there are several alternative options available for those who are self-employed, small business owners or work for an employer that does not provide health insurance. Our platform provides a convenient space where you can compare and rate these plans, as well as sign up for one that suits your needs.
Alternative Health Plans
What is an alternative plan?
In today's healthcare landscape, there's an alternative to traditional health insurance that could be the solution you're looking for. These alternative plans are available in membership or subscription form and often come at a significantly lower cost compared to the full cost of traditional insurance plans. In fact, these plans can offer savings of 20-70% on a monthly basis.
However, it's essential to approach alternative plans with an open mind. Many of their concepts are not mainstream and may be new to you. For example, many alternative plans include a healthshare as part of the membership, and as a healthshare member, you will navigate healthcare as a self-pay patient. Other components may include short-term medical coverage, fixed indemnity plans, prescription plans, direct primary care, wellness programs, concierge/advocacy services, preventive care, HSAs, and more.
While these plans may seem confusing initially, they offer unique advantages, such as seeing any provider. Understanding the differences between these alternative plans and traditional insurance is essential to make an informed decision. By doing so, you may enjoy significant savings and benefits that traditional insurance plans may not offer.
Components of Alternative Medical Plans
Healthshare/ Medical Cost Sharing
A variety of different healthshares can be included with the alternative plan. A healthshare will provide a safety net for larger medical expenses. Not all healthshares are created equally and should be well understood by anyone signing up. A primary difference between a healthshare and health insurance is the limitations surrounding pre-existing conditions. Healthshares are generally meant for those in good health.
MEC Plans
Minimum essential coverage (MEC) is a layer often included in these plans that can be through traditional insurance and is usually administered by a TPA. They will offer preventive services, prescriptions, and copays and can be compatible with HSA eligibility and accounts. These do meet compliance for states that still have a tax penalty for health insurance.
Direct Primary Care
One of the most underrated and innovative aspects of healthcare that we can find is a Direct Primary Care membership. While a DPC membership offers a ton of advantages to access primary and urgent care services, they do not offer a safeguard for larger medical expenses that cannot be treated by a primary care provider.
Continued Components
Virtual Care
One of the positive side effects of the Covid19 pandemic has been an increase in virtual care. Virtual care has not only become more prevalent, but it has also become more encompassing of services. This is a valuable way for providers and members to meet affordably and efficiently. A wide range of services offered can include primary care, acute care, urgent care, mental wellness, second opinions, referrals, nutritional counseling, and more. If you have never used a virtual care service to get medication in a pinch for a sick child, then you are missing out.
Concierge, Advocacy, & Care Coordination
These services, although each a little different, can be offered as part of many alternative health plans. They can provide much-needed support to those who are navigating healthcare as self-pay patients as members of a healthshare. Healthcare is complex, and having a trusted resource to help with questions when you need it can be very important.
Value Added Services
There are many services in healthcare to consider. Many alternative plans can have some variation of a discount dental, discount prescription, discount vision, wellness perks, supplement discount, or discount labs services. As a self-pay patient, it's easy to pay too much if you aren't careful. With the right resources, however, you can reap significant savings, and these programs can help members navigate the underrated aspects of healthcare.
Supplemental Insurance
Also known as indemnity or ancillary plans, these plans are designed to complement other benefits. There are a variety of plans offered by many insurance carriers, and plans include dental, vision, accident, cancer, hospital confinement, critical illness, and more.
Companies
We have used several review resources, including Google, Trust Pilot, BBB, and our reviews. We have created ratings based on several factors, including price, customer service, innovation, ease of experience, and benefits. Please share your own experiences in the chat and enjoy our free resources.
Knew Health
4.6 Rating
We have been following Knew Health for a while and like a lot of what they are doing. They have included healthsharing, healthcare discounts, nutritional counseling, and more in their membership. Their members seem to have had positive experiences and are happy with the services they are receiving, many naming Hillary in member services as the reason for their great experience. They are on the higher side of cost, but there are a lot of benefits included with their membership that might be worth it.
MPB Health
4.2 Rating
One of the most well-known alternative plans, MPB Health, has offerings that include Direct Primary Care, Healthshare, Concierge and HSA MEC plan. They can be costly but seem to attract many self-employed individuals who desire an HSA account. They have a large number of plans to choose from (maybe too many) for individuals and businesses. We hear good things from their members and hope they can continue to simplify their offerings.
MightyWell
3.7 Rating
MightyWell uses a combination of healthsharing, supplemental accident, and MEC plans. We haven't been able to find independent reviews of MightWell. That may be due to several other companies and products with similar names. We conducted our own review and look forward to reviewing more information as it becomes available.
Gold Care
4.0 Rating
A Private member association, Gold Care, looks to have a provider-membership model. Despite that, it functions more like a traditional network rather than a DPC. They bundle a healthshare with their provider network and wellness services to create their plan. They offer lots of support for health, wellness, and alternative care. Their founder, Simone Gold, has created Gold Care as an outspoken critic of the traditional healthcare system. We find that some people will be skeptical considering her controversial views, which can be easily found on a simple Google search.
USA Health Plans
2.9 Rating
Like a couple of the alternative plans we have reviewed, this one generally works with insurance, although they utilize a healthshare. We have seen them reformulate their offering several times over the past few years. There are quite a few negative complaints from their clients which is why they are receiving 3.1 stars.
Sidecar Health
2.2 Rating
Sidecar Health is one of the most prominent companies to appear in a Google search for "alternative health plans," They have certainly done a big ad spend. The plan design is more of a benefit allowance, and the allowance for healthcare services can be low. They use fixed indemnity insurance and have included a plan with up to $2 million dollar benefits, but it's expensive. There are lots of mixed reviews from their customers. Generally, it seems ok to navigate and pay for smaller medical bills, but be careful when something big happens.
Redirect Health
3.4 Rating
Redirect Health is a neat company with a great concept. They have been around for several years now. Unfortunately, their reputation has become one of poor customer service. Their biggest customer complaint includes not answering calls or giving service to members, and that's a big deal-breaker for many and a great way to lose members. The DPC model that they own and administer is a great concept, so we hope they can figure things out. We will keep you posted.
Pivot Health
1.8 Rating
We were not sure if we should include Pivot Health in our list, but we did since they made such a push to be included in a Google search for alternative health plans. This company is an insurance brokerage that refers visitors to insurance agents. Their products consist of short-term medical and indemnity insurance plans. These products are fine, but there are a ton of companies that offer them, and there is nothing unique here. We would recommend finding a local insurance broker in your area for these products.
Align Health Partners
4.2 Rating
Align Health Partners has several ala carte solutions for families, associations, and businesses. They have tried to make a splash in the virtual direct primary care market and seem to be doing a good job. They also have a mix of insurance and non-insurance services that they are offering depending on the business type. The downside is that their services are expensive and on the lower side of 20-70% savings that you will find with other alternative health plans.