Golden Rule Connecticut Health Insurance Review

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This health insurance plan review is based on one person’s understanding of the private individual & family insurance policies offered to Connecticut residents and the feedback that I’ve received from my clients and prospective clients about the plans offered by Golden Rule. It is also limited to the family & individual medical insurance plans available for Connecticut residents on a non-group basis.

Golden Rule (parent company United Healthcare)- Network of Doctors and Hospitals

Golden Rule’s list of physicians & hospitals is average. Aetna, Connecticare and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield have a more comprehensive list of doctors in their network. All or most of the Connecticut General Hospitals can be found on their provider list.

Golden Rule – Quality of Coverage

The Connecticut Insurance Department includes Golden Rule on their list of Companies with Approved Individual Health Insurance Policies. Golden Rule offers average coverage overall. Some of the exclusions in the contract are significant. This company does not have plans that cover maternity. The only plans offered to individuals by private insurers that cover maternity are offered by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and Connecticare.

Health Insurance Premiums

Golden Rule’s pricing is very competitive especially for those who qualify for their preferred rates.

My Opinion of Golden Rule Health Insurance plans offered in Connecticut

Score card

• Network in Connecticut: C
• Network outside Connecticut: C
• Coverage: C
• Exclusions and Limitations: D
• Pricing: A

I believe that Golden Rule often offers the lowest price for medical coverage. However, the smaller network and the exclusions and limitations of the policiy are significant. We recommend this company infequently.

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This health insurance plan review is based on one person’s understanding of the private health insurance policies sold in Connecticut plus the feedback that I’ve received from clients and prospective clients about the plans offered by Fortis & John Alden. It is also limited to medical insurance plans available for Connecticut residents on a non-group basis.

Fortis – Time – Assurant – John Alden

These companies are part of the same group. John Alden and Fortis offer private health insurance policies in Connecticut. Their pricing, networks, and coverage is the same or substantially similar. Everything in this post that currently applies to Fortis also applies to John Alden.

Fortis – Network List of Doctors & Hospitals

Fortis’s list of doctors & hospitals is average. You may or may not find your doctors on their lists. The network lists for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Connecticare Solo and Aetna are more likely to include your doctor. However most of the general hospitals in Connecticut can be found on their provider list.

Fortis – Quality of Coverage

The Connecticut Insurance Department includes Fortis on their list of Companies with Approved Individual Health Insurance Policies. Some companies may offer better coverage in certain areas, but Fortis offers substantial coverage. We are comfortable recommending them when their prices are competitive. This company does not offer maternity coverage. The only plans offered to individuals by private insurers that cover maternity related expenses are offered by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and Connecticare.

Health Insurance Premiums

Fortis’s pricing is competitive although not remarkable for most ages and zip codes.

My Opinion of Fortis Health Insurance plans offered in Connecticut

Score card

• Network in Connecticut: C
• Network outside Connecticut: C
• Coverage: B
• Exclusions and Limitations: B
• Pricing: C

I believe that Fortis often offers the excellent coverage. However, where their pricing is higher or only slightly lower than companies with better networks such as Anthem Blue Cross, Connecticare and Aetna, I will recommend those companies. Therefore, I rarely recommend Fortis although it is a good company that pays their claims and offers substantial coverage.

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This health insurance plan review is based on one man’s understanding of the private medical plans available to Connecticut residents and the feedback that I’ve received from my clients regarding the coverage offered by Celtic Life Insurance Company. It is also limited to the individual and family health insurance plans available for Connecticut residents on a non-group basis.

Celtic – Network of Doctors and Hospitals

Celtic’s list of physicians & hospitals is smaller when compared with the lists of Anthem Blue Cross, Connecticare and Aetna.

However, if your physician or physicians is on their list or you are comfortable changing doctors the smaller doctor’s list may not affect you. You should be able to find a doctor on Celtic’s list who is a short drive from anywhere in Connecticut. Also, if your local hospital is on the list, their smaller hospital list may not affect you either.

Celtic – Quality of Coverage

The Connecticut Insurance Department includes Celtic on their list of Companies with Approved Individual Health Insurance Policies. Some companies may offer better coverage in certain areas, but Celtic offers substantial coverage. We are comfortable recommending them when their prices are competitive. This company does not offer maternity coverage. The only plans offered to individuals by private insurers that cover maternity are offered by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and Connecticare

Health Insurance Premiums

Celtic’s pricing is competitive although not remarkable for most ages and zip codes.

My Opinion of Celtic Health Insurance plans offered in Connecticut

Score card

• Network in Connecticut: C
• Network outside Connecticut: C
• Coverage: B
• Exclusions and Limitations: B
• Pricing: B

I believe that Celtic often offers the excellent coverage. However, where their pricing is higher or only slightly lower than companies with better networks such as Anthem Blue Cross, Connecticare and Aetna, I will recommend those companies. Therefore, I rarely recommend Celtic although it is a good company that pays their claims and offers substantial coverage.

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This health insurance plan review is based only on my understanding of the plans and the feedback that I’ve received from my clients about the coverage offered by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. It is also limited to the individual and family health insurance plans available for Connecticut residents on a non-group basis.

Anthem BCBS – Network of Doctors and Hospitals

The list of providers that accept a medical insurance plan is a very important issue. It can help you to determine what health plan to purchase. The two questions you should ask are:

1. Is my physician on the provider list of this health insurance plan?
2. Are there enough hospitals and doctors in my area(s)?

Anthem’s provider list is excellent

Blue Cross has a very good list of providers both in the State of Connecticut and in other states. In fact, 85 per cent of the doctors across the country are part on the BCBS Century Preferred and Tonik provider list. Most of our clients can find their doctor on their list. All of our clients can find a doctor on Anthem’s provider list that is a short drive from their Connecticut residence or job.

Anthem Blue Cross – Quality of Coverage

The individual health insurance plans offered by Blue Cross in Connecticut offer excellent coverage when compared to the plans offered by most other companies. They don’t nickel and dime their members and have a reputation for paying valid claims.

Health Insurance Premiums

Anthem’s pricing is very competitive for most ages and most deductible ranges.

Blue Cross Blue Shield individual health insurance costs are very reasonable considering their brand name recognition, excellent network and reputation. In fact Anthem’s premiums are often lower than most or all of their competition.

My Opinion of Anthem Health Insurance plans offered in Connecticut

Score card

• Network in Connecticut: A
• Network outside Connecticut: A
• Coverage: A
• Exclusions and Limitations: A
• Pricing: B

I believe that Anthem Blue Cross often offers the best coverage for a client. I recommend Anthem BC plans to at least one prospective client every day.

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This health insurance plan review is based only on my understanding of the plans and the feedback that I’ve received from my clients about the coverage offered by Aetna. It is also limited to the private health insurance plans available for Connecticut residents on a non-group basis.

Aetna – Network of Doctors and Hospitals

The list of providers that accept a medical insurance plan is a very important issue. It can help you to determine what health plan to purchase. The two questions you should ask are:

1. Is my physician on the provider list of this health insurance plan?
2. Are there enough hospitals and doctors in my area(s)?

Aetna’s provider list is excellent

Aetna has a very good list of providers both in the State of Connecticut. Most of our clients can find their doctor on their list. All of our clients can find a doctor on Aetna’s provider list that is a short drive from their Connecticut residence or job.

Aetna Advantage – Quality of Coverage

The individual health insurance plans offered by Aetna in Connecticut offer excellent coverage when compared to the plans offered by most other companies.

Health Insurance Premiums

Health insurance pricing is of course important. We’d all drive Rolls Royces and Mercedes Benzes if all cars cost the same. Aetna reserves the right to charge extra for those who have certain pre-existing conditions. Most of the time, however, our clients pay standard premiums. When the standard pricing is offered, they are very competitive.

Aetna’s practice of raising the rates based on pre-existing conditions should not be looked at as being overly negative. Often they can raise a client’s premium by a relative small percentage and offset the additional risk they accept when the decide to insure someone with a pre-existing condition. In many instances, this allows them to insure people than no one else in the state will accept for coverage.

My Opinion of Aetna Health Insurance plans offered in Connecticut

Score card

• Network in Connecticut: B
• Network outside Connecticut: B
• Coverage: B
• Exclusions and Limitations: B
• Pricing: A

I doesn’t always Aetna offer the absolute best coverage for a client. However they offer excellent coverage for the money and I recommend them to a prospective client almost every day.

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Rating Insurance Companies is something I’m asked to do frequently. My estimation of each company’s ranking is my personal opinion. It is based on information learned over the last 20 plus years as an insurance agent in Connecticut. I do not have access to a lot of statistical data or formal surveys. What I do have access to is feedback from hundreds of clients, my understanding of each insurance company’s plans and feedback from other health insurance agents. This what I will base my rating on. Insurance companies offering private health insurance in Connecticut will be the only companies I will give my opinion on.

In my next few blog entries I will review these companies:

• Aetna
• Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Celtic
• Connecticare Solo
• Fortis
• Golden Rule

American Republic has priced themselves out the market and so will not be reviewed. United Healthcare sells their individual policies in Connecticut through Golden Rule. Assurant, John Alden and Time are sister companies of Fortis. These are all of the companies currently approved by the Connecticut Insurance Department .

Connecticut-Approved individual or private medical insurance companies are limited to the companies listed above. This makes it easier for both of us. Health Insurance Company Rating would be much more difficult to do if we were in Ohio or California where there are many more. You can find information on Medical insurance info for other states through our sister site.

My reviews will be based on the following:

• Network or list of providers
• Exclusions in Contract
• Preexisting conditions procedures
• Price or Premiums