1. Your family’s specific needs. An Alaska family insurance plan should include a vision plan for a family with a history of poor eyesight. Likewise, a family that takes a lot of medication will require a prescription plan.
2. The exclusions. These are services or treatments that health insurance plans in Alaska will not cover. Most policies list exclusions in a specific section, but there may also be additional exclusions throughout the policy.
3. The premium. Family health insurance providers in Alaska with a high premium may provide services that your family won’t need.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Providers of Alaska family health insurance use health maintenance organizations (HMOs) in local clinics as a less expensive option which may be a good choice for families that are generally healthy. Point of service (POS) and preferred provider organization (PPO) plans are more expensive, but more flexible, and may be preferred for family members who may need a specialist. You should ensure that your family physician is a member of the POS or PPO network.
• Review your family health insurance expenditures for the previous year when selecting a new health plan. This may allow you to sensibly reduce your premium by increasing your deductible. A high premium can also be reduced by eliminating coverage for services your family doesn't really need. However, a policy with an unusually low premium may indicate inadequate coverage, difficulty in getting claims approved or slow payment.