Where to start? My healthcare needs are psych, and my PPO through the employer I likely will be leaving ended up barely being used. Thus I have to assume there’s something on the marketplace that wouldn’t be a better fit. Tips to find that fit?

I did not got investigate my insurance options after starting my current job last year, partly bc I had to move, wait for clearance to come just before the deadline, and started orientation two business days later. In other words, a whirlwind.

In the absence of properly informing myself, i chose the plan with the highest premium, hoping that would give me the best coverage.

The fact that my employer is in the medical field, but does not have much business in the psychiatric field, might have even made my options (as someone who medical care is all within the psychiatric domain) worse than if I was just at a non-medical field.

I assume this before my impression is that the plans look very generous with care through the company and closely affiliated places (the EPO), but zero psychiatric and behavioral health services or care fell within the EPO, with anything covered being consider “2nd Tier” coverage, and they offer zero benefits for out of network care. Which was hard to avoid resorting to (paying out of pocket to see providers who did not take insurance at all) when at least the 25 geographically closest providers that were “in network” (to be clear, that were only in network at the 2nd tier level [higher deductible, higher max out of pocket], since there were zero providers at the EPO 1st Tier level).

Still neglecting to do anywhere remotely close to adequate due diligence, I just hoped maybe I could submit super bills for partial reimbursed. No, that was not in my benefits. But then I thought, “well maybe they won’t pay any of my bills, but perhaps they will count part of them toward my deductible/out of pocket max.” But I asked and that was also not part of my plan and benefits.

Moving forward, it seems clear this is not the plan for me. And as I might be leaving the company in October while Open Enrollment is on, that is where I should look, as I plan to work part time (maybe even multiple part time jobs) while pursuing graduate school. And I just have to believe SOMETHING on the marketplace exists that provides better and realistically accessible mental health and psychiatric care.

But I could use all the help any kind and savvy soul here is will to provide. As I am just beginning to read about the marketplace, and mostly just trying decondition myself from that idea of “more expensive = more psych care benefits.”