What is fully covered health insurance?

Asked by: Gaetano Hoppe  |  Last update: January 22, 2026
Score: 4.6/5 (8 votes)

Full-coverage health insurance, also known as major medical health insurance or comprehensive coverage, is a health insurance plan that provides overarching, broad coverage of a variety of healthcare services such as doctor visits, hospital visits, and emergency room visits.

What does fully covered health insurance mean?

Covered-in-full, or full coverage, means a benefit is paid entirely by your health insurance plan. In other words, it's free for you!

What does 100% covered health insurance mean?

An example of employer contribution is a company paying 80% of the premium, with employees covering the remaining 20%. In a 100% coverage scenario, the employer bears the entire premium cost.

What does fully insured health insurance mean?

What is a fully-insured health plan? A fully-insured health plan is the traditional route of insuring employees. Employers pay a fixed premium price to a group health insurance carrier for the employees who are enrolled in a health plan, and the company covers those employees' medical claim expenses.

What is a full coverage health insurance plan?

Full-coverage health insurance typically includes any treatment needed that's offered by your healthcare provider. Basic coverage can be limited to preventive care, check-ups, and some emergency services. Of course, this varies by your insurance provider.

Health Insurance Explained – The YouToons Have It Covered

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What is included in full coverage?

Comprehensive, collision and liability insurance are all included in full coverage. Auto accidents and losses brought on by vandalism, severe weather, fire, or theft will also be covered. California's Low-Cost Auto Insurance program allows some drivers to apply for coverage.

Do doctors prefer HMO or PPO?

HMO plans might involve more bureaucracy and can limit doctors' ability to practice medicine as they see fit due to stricter guidelines on treatment protocols. So just as with patients, providers who prefer a greater degree of flexibility tend to prefer PPO plans.

What are the cons of a fully insured health insurance plan?

Cons of a Fully Insured Plan:
  • Subject to state regulations and mandates.
  • Subject to larger expenses. Premium taxes of 2-3% Assessments. Reserves. Profit.
  • Less flexibility in plan design.
  • Limited transparency of plan costs.
  • Smaller fully-insured groups receive limited reporting.

What does it mean to be covered by health insurance?

What does health insurance cover? If a service is covered, it means your health plan will pay for some or all of the cost. Covered services typically include regular office visits with your doctor, tests, urgent and emergency care, hospital stays, prescription drugs, medical equipment and more.

What is the difference between currently insured and fully insured?

Fully Insured Status Versus Currently Insured Status

To receive other benefits, such as survivor's benefits, you may only need to be currently insured. Obtaining fully insured status means that you are entitled to full Social Security benefits.

How much should I pay for health insurance?

PREMIUMS FOR SINGLE AND FAMILY COVERAGE

The average premium for single coverage in 2024 is $8,951 per year. The average premium for family coverage is $25,572 per year [Figure 1.1].

Does Blue Cross Blue Shield cover past medical bills?

Health insurance policies are designed to cover medical expenses incurred during the period when the policy is active. This means that if you received medical services before your policy's effective date, those expenses are generally not covered.

What if I need surgery but can't afford my deductible?

In cases like this, we recommend contacting your insurance, surgeon, or hospital and asking if they can help you with a payment plan. Remember that your surgery provider wants to get paid so they may be very willing to work with you on a payment plan.

What does 100% coverage mean in health insurance?

One trend that's been making the rounds recently in employee benefits and tech circles is the idea of 100% healthcare coverage. That is, the employer pays 100% of their employees' health plan premiums. No extra payroll deduction or other ongoing costs to worry about.

What does 100% mean on health insurance?

100% coinsurance: You're responsible for the entire bill. 0% coinsurance: You aren't responsible for any part of the bill — your insurance company will pay the entire claim.

What is not covered by full coverage insurance?

What's not covered with "full coverage"? Your medical expenses and your passengers' medical expenses are not covered by liability, collision, or comprehensive coverages. Medical bills can be covered by purchasing medical payments coverage or personal injury protection coverage.

What does full coverage mean in health insurance?

Full-coverage health insurance, also known as major medical health insurance or comprehensive coverage, is a health insurance plan that provides overarching, broad coverage of a variety of healthcare services such as doctor visits, hospital visits, and emergency room visits.

What is the best health insurance company to go with?

Best Health Insurance Companies for 2025
  • Best Overall and Best for Self-Employed: Kaiser Permanente.
  • Best Widely Available Plans: UnitedHealthcare.
  • Best for Low Complaints and Best for Chronic Conditions: Aetna.
  • Most Affordable: Molina Healthcare.

What isn't covered by health insurance?

Health insurance typically covers most doctor and hospital visits, prescription drugs, wellness care, and medical devices. Most health insurance will not cover elective or cosmetic procedures, beauty treatments, off-label drug use, or brand-new technologies.

What does a fully insured health plan mean?

A fully insured health plan is a traditional type of insurance option sponsored by an employer. The employer pays monthly and yearly premiums to the insurance company, with fixed annual amounts based on how many employees are enrolled in the health plan.

Is it cheaper to not use health insurance?

People without insurance pay, on average, twice as much for care. This means when you use a network provider you pay less for the same services than someone who doesn't have coverage – even before you meet your deductible. Sometimes these savings are small.

What is the difference between a PPO and a HMO?

HMOs (health maintenance organizations) are typically cheaper than PPOs, but they tend to have smaller networks. You need to see your primary care physician before getting a referral to a specialist. PPOs (preferred provider organizations) are usually more expensive.

What are the two most common health insurance plans?

Before choosing a health insurance policy for yourself, your family, or your employees, you must know what types are available. Some popular health insurance policy options are: Preferred provider organization (PPO) plans. Health maintenance organization (HMO) plans.

Why are out of pocket costs higher with PPO?

HMO plans typically have lower monthly premiums. You can also expect to pay less out of pocket. PPOs tend to have higher monthly premiums in exchange for the flexibility to use providers both in and out of network without a referral.

Is Blue Cross Blue Shield a PPO?

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)

However, BCBS still pays more to in-network providers than out-of-network providers. People who are part of a PPO do not need a physician's referral to consult with a specialist. PPOs also usually offer drug coverage. Learn about Medicare referrals.