As someone who always has had an employer sponsored health care plan, I was surprised that going out on my own would be more cost effective. I bought this book on recommendation of a friend. Boy, I am glad I took their advice. With the information found in the book, my wife and I quickly learned many basic facts about different health care plans. We then compared our current policy to various policies that we could get on the open market. As a result of this research we have now switched policies for my wife and children allowing us to take advantage of a Health Savings Account. This was a great savings for our family and should provide a long-term savings opportunity. Chapter 4 on how to compare plans and Chapter 5 on how to anticipate annual expenses were particularly helpful as we were determining which was the right plan for our specific needs. Our take home lesson was that health insurance is not a "one size fits all" product, and we are really pleased with our decision to change to a policy more suited to our situation.

Do you feel like you are paying too much for your health insurance? Before you go out and replace your current health insurance plan, you need to do your research to understand the different options that are available for you to choose from. This book provided me with an understanding of the different options and explained what the different health plans really mean in terms of coverage and out-of-pocket expenses. The content is presented in an easy to understand format and I guarantee you will understand more about health insurance plans and out-of-pocket expenses after reading this book.

Years ago, health insurance was almost always provided by your employer. The only choice you had to make through your Human Resources Manager was whether to choose plan A, B, or C. Today, more individuals are purchasing health insurance on their own. As the cost of health care continues to rise, many employers can no longer afford to provide their employees with health insurance. Some employers are even offering their employees more affordable options that are described with words like "consumer directed", "high deductible", and "HSA". What does this mean for you? My advice to you -- before you go out and purchase health insurance on your own, you should get up to speed on some important issues that can save you thousands of dollars and avoid making painful mistakes selecting the wrong plan for you/your family. Purchasing health insurance requires a level of knowledge that many of us are not comfortable with. This book will take the mystery out of health care shopping and save you money in the process.

What makes this self-proclaimed expert an expert? He bought an insurance policy. Woohoo! Well guess what? So have millions of other people.

As a licensed health insurance broker, I am offended that someone with no professional training or expertise has written a book claiming to be an expert.

Caveat emptor!

If anyone truly wants to learn how to buy a good health plan without getting "ripped off" as he calls it, all they need to do is procure the services of a professional insurance broker--one with an actual license to offer such advice.

What's next? A book on how to have brain surgery without getting ripped off, written by a guy who "shopped around" for the best "deal" on brain surgeons?

My husband and I recently had to select a family health-insurance plan provided through his employer. We were given three options and had very differing opinions. While I am comfortable with bigger deductibles and lower monthly premiums, my husband prefers the more conservative, cadillac of insurances where we pay almost nothing for doctor visits, deductibles, prescriptions, etc. While this is certainly an appealing concept, is it really necessary, especially when the cost of such insurance is so ridiculously high? The tools provided in this book helped us to truly evaluate the value of each plan in how they relate to our family. It's nice to finally understand some of the complexities of insurance from a perspective other than an insurance agent.

I'm one of those people who has always had insurance through an employer, and grumbled about how much I'm paying when i don't need or use most of the services. Pletzke's book was an eye-opener, showing me that there is an alternative to paying high premiums through an employer, and in fact that it may be safer (in case of layoffs or illness) to buy health insurance on your own. He does an excellent job of demystifying insurance jargon, and provides lots of workbook-type examples. And the personal tone of voice makes it a real easy read.