Health Insurance 101
Co-pay or Co-insurance? Deductible or Out-of-Pocket Limit? Complex cost structures, confusing terminology, and confounding rules can make anyone feel perplexed when choosing and using health insurance. Understanding the vocabulary of health insurance is essential for determining which plan will best serve your health needs and fit your financial budget. Tim Smolen, SHIBA Program Manager at Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, will break down the jargon into plain English to prepare you to make well-informed choices about your health insurance.
With a better grasp on of what all these terms mean, participants in this session will be empowered to compare and contrast their options. You’ll be able to make informed choices about insurance enrollment and navigate the plan you choose with confidence. You’ll learn how to ask the right questions, reduce the risk of costly mistakes, and recognize important considerations such as the trade-offs baked into different options such as how a low monthly premium will typically be coupled with a high deductible.
Speakers
Tim Smolen
Manager, State Health Insurance Benefits Advisors Program
Tim Smolen is the SHIBA Program Manager. In the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of Insurance Commissioner (OIC), the SHIBA program is responsible for helping people with Medicare – and those who will be eligible soon – as well their families and advocates to understand their rights and protections and options. Navigating this complex system can be challenging and frustrating; we are here to help.
Tim was appointed SHIBA Program Manager in January 2021. He looks forward to each day on the job as an opportunity to be kind and useful. The best part of the work is knowing the impact of helping people, in terms of saving them money and also in terms of putting their mind and heart at ease.
All UWRA events and programs are open to all eligible persons regardless of race, sex or other identity.