Who Will Care for Me Under My Marketplace Insurance?

We know health reform is big and confusing. Some parts of the law started in 2010. Other parts are rolling out over the next several years. Texas physicians and the Texas Medical Association have carefully studied the law to help you understand what the changes mean to your health care. 

As the Affordable Care Act (ACA) continues to roll out, Me&My Doctor’s “Hey Doc” series will answer your frequently-asked questions, as well as some you might not have thought to ask. 

Check out part 14 in this series.

Q. Once I get insurance, who will take care of me? What are these “networks” everyone keeps talking about?

A. Insurance plans in the marketplace must contract with doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and other providers to make sure patients have access to medical care. These are the “networks” you keep hearing about. When you sign up for an insurance plan, you’ll be able to pick a doctor or hospital from those networks to take care of you. But keep in mind that not all plans have the same networks, and some of them might have only a few doctors and hospitals to choose from in your area. So you’ll want to do some homework before you buy insurance to make sure you can get the care you are looking for.