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How to Get the Best Health Insurance Quotes Online

General Information, Health Resources, Individual and Family
Health insurance forms and a stethoscope.

What Is the Best Site to Compare Health Insurance?

There are many places you can look online to get health insurance rate quotes, but some are better than others. It can be difficult to tell which websites are giving you truly correct information and which are giving biased information that promotes their own products. Fortunately, Healthedly has broken through the mess of disinformation and created a way to look for the best health insurance coverage without worrying about bias.

Healthedly is a clearinghouse where you can search for and access health plan information for a wealth of coverage options, from private insurance carriers to government programs to specialty health coverages like dental and vision insurance. You can even search for travel insurance, or get insurance for your entire small business. We also provide quotes for insurance relating to life and annuities.

By browsing our extensive collection of health insurance quotes online, you’ll be able to find the private health insurance quotes online that you’re looking for, but also health insurance plans, and health care services, all for monthly premiums you can afford.

How Can I Make My Health Insurance Cheaper?

The best way to make your monthly premiums cheaper for your health insurance coverage is to shop around, looking at private health insurance but also governmental programs like the Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans. You can even see if you qualify for Medicare, and learn what the requirements are for such programs. 

Preventative care is also a very important way to make sure that you’re getting the best affordable health insurance. Many health insurances will give you better rates if you focus on preventative care methods, regular check-ups and tests, and lab work so major disasters don’t occur because of problems that could have been prevented. 

Which Companies Provide the Best Health Insurance?

Every health insurance company is going to tell you that they provide the best health insurance coverage. This is one area where you’re going to need to compare one plan against another. Fortunately, on Healthedly you can compare health insurance coverages side-by-side to determine what plan options you want, what kinds of out-of-pocket costs you’ll be looking at, and what is most appropriate for your household income. 

Still looking for the right Health Insurance Plan? Browse our plans and get a quote today!

May 25, 2022
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SEP: Important Information About Special Enrollment Period

ACA, Individual and Family, Medicaid, News, Obamacare, Special Enrollment Period, Supplemental
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March 24, 2022
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Medicaid Being At An All-Time High, But For How Long?

Individual and Family, Medicaid

 

Medicaid enrollment is at an all-time high. Millions may soon get kicked off

Medicaid coverage swelled during the COVID-19 pandemic, with almost one in four Americans now covered by the health insurance plan for low-income people, but as many as 15 million people may be at risk of losing coverage this year as a pandemic rule winds down. 

Before the public health crisis, U.S. states regularly reviewed Medicaid recipients’ eligibility to verify they still qualified for coverage based on requirements such as state residency and income. The latter varies by state, but is typically about 138% of the federal poverty rate.

But during the pandemic, a provision in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act hit the pause button on those eligibility status checks, ensuring continuous Medicaid coverage for recipients during the pandemic. As millions lost their jobs and often their health insurance, many signed up for Medicaid coverage. That helped swell the program’s rolls to a record 76.7 million recipients as of July 2021, which is a jump of 19% since 2019.

That pause on the eligibility status check process is set to come to an end as soon as April, which could throw as many as 15 million people off Medicaid, according to an analysis from Matthew Buettgens, senior fellow at the Urban Institute. The issue is fraught because some low-income people may lose coverage simply by falling through the cracks, such as being unaware that they must provide income verification to continue their coverage under the federal program. 

Some health care advocates are worried about the ability of states to handle eligibility checks for a record-high number of enrollees at a time when agency staffing levels may be low, due either to the nation’s labor shortage or state budget cuts. For instance, Texas, which added 1 million Medicaid enrollees during the pandemic, has cut staff in its Medicaid division, according to the Houston Chronicle. 

Updating one’s eligibility requirements can be time consuming for Medicaid recipients, she added. Enrollees who haven’t logged into the online system to update their information may have forgotten their password, while the Texas system doesn’t allow people to recover forgotten passwords electronically. 

Medicaid’s enrollment had been declining prior to the pandemic, with the number of enrollees slipping by 3% from December 2017 to December 2019. That was partially due to the growing U.S. economy during that period. 

That trend reversed with the pandemic. As the economy faltered and millions of people lost their jobs, lawmakers added a provision to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act that offered states more Medicaid funding in exchange for continuous enrollment during the public health emergency.

Despite the dip prior to the pandemic, Medicaid enrollment had been growing for decades. For instance, the number of people enrolled in 2000 was 34.5 million, less than half of the program’s current enrollment. With that has come higher spending, with the program’s outlays more than tripling from $206 billion to $683 billion in 2020.

In January, the Biden administration formally extended for 90 days its finding that the U.S. faces a public health emergency. Without another extension, sweeping Medicaid relief will end in mid-April. That means states will need to resume eligibility status checks even amid the jump in recipients.

Another question is what will happen to the 15 million people who are likely to lose coverage this year if eligibility status checks resume. About one-third will likely be able to qualify for subsidized private health care in the Affordable Care Act’s online marketplaces, Buettgens’ analysis found. Nearly all of the rest are likely to receive health care through their employer, especially given the improving labor market, with employers boosting their benefits to attract workers. 

Those families will pay more for health coverage through premiums and out-of-pocket costs, the analysis found. The risks are that those households may choose to opt out of health care coverage because of the higher costs, or else fall through the cracks due to failing to follow-up on their eligibility status check.

For more information on health insurance or healthy tips, visit us through Healthedly Insurance Services to learn more.


Also, utilize these resources to help navigate what you’re looking for: 

  • ACA
  • Medicare
  • Group Health
  • Life 
  • Travel Health

March 2, 2022
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Things To Know About Deductibles

Individual and Family, Medicare, Short Term, Supplemental

 

8 Things You Should Know About Deductibles

What is a deductible? 

A deductible is the amount you pay for health care services each year before your health plan starts to pay. For example, if you have a $1,500 deductible, you pay the first $1,500 of the services you need.

Depending on your plan, you may also need to meet this in-network deductible before you pay for covered prescription drugs. This means you will pay the prescription’s full cost upfront until the deductible is met. Then you will pay your copay or coinsurance amount until you meet your yearly out-of-pocket maximum. But some plans do not have a deductible. And some types of medicines may be available at a lower cost (as little as $0), even if the deductible has not been met first.

What happens after I meet the deductible?

Once you’ve met your deductible, you usually pay only a copay and/or coinsurance for covered services. Coinsurance is when your plan pays a large percentage of the cost of care and you pay the rest. For example, if your coinsurance is 80/20, you’ll only pay 20 percent of the costs when you need care. Your health plan pays the rest.

Does the deductible reset each year?

Yes. Since your deductible resets each plan year, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the figures. If you’ve met your deductible for the year or are close to meeting it, you may want to squeeze in some other tests or procedures before your plan year ends to lower your out-of-pocket costs.

Is a health insurance deductible different from other types of deductibles? 

Unlike auto, renters or homeowner insurance where you don’t get services until you pay your deductible, many health plans cover the cost of some benefits before you meet the deductible. For example, your plan may cover the cost of annual physicals and many preventive health screenings before the deductible is met.

My plan information says I have a family deductible, too. What does that mean?

If your plan covers your family, there will probably be a deductible for each person and a separate family deductible. As soon as the family deductible is met, your plan starts paying at the coinsurance amount for everyone’s care. That’s the case even if some family members haven’t met their individual deductible. 

With a family deductible, once you’ve met that one family deductible amount, no other individual deductibles are needed. After the family deductible is met, you’ll only pay your copay and/or coinsurance amount for services for each family member.

Some plans, like a health spending account (HSA) may only have a family deductible, so your member ID card will only list one deductible. Check your benefit details if you aren’t sure.

Do all health care services apply to my deductible until it’s met?

Not always. Some plans fully cover preventive services, which means you don’t pay anything at the time you get them. Because you don’t have an out-of-pocket charge, those services won’t count toward meeting your deductible. 

If you receive care that isn’t covered by your health plan, it often won’t count toward your deductible. This might include such things as cosmetic procedures or seeing a provider who isn’t in your health plan’s network.

What are the pros and cons of a high or low deductible?

In most cases, the higher a plan’s deductible, the lower the monthly premium. If you’re willing to pay more when you need care, you can choose a higher deductible to reduce the amount you pay each month.

The lower a plan’s deductible, the higher the premium. You’ll pay more each month, but your plan will start sharing the costs sooner because you’ll reach your deductible faster.

Some people who don’t often need medical care would rather have a smaller premium and pay more up front for care as they go. But it can mean taking a chance that you might end up paying a big medical bill if you have an unexpected illness or injury.

Other people like knowing that when they need their insurance, they won’t have to come up with a large sum of money before their plan starts helping with the cost. They’d rather have a higher premium, but a lower deductible. It makes costs more predictable.

If I pay so much out of pocket before my insurance kicks in, why should I have coverage?

Health coverage can lower your costs even when you must pay out of pocket to meet your deductible. Insurance companies negotiate their rates with providers, and you’ll pay that discounted rate. Without that discount, people often pay twice as much — or more — for care.

For more information on health insurance or healthy tips, visit us through Healthedly Insurance Services to learn more.


Also, utilize these resources to help navigate what you’re looking for: 

  • ACA
  • Medicare
  • Group Health
  • Life 
  • Travel Health

February 17, 2022
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HealthCare.Gov Offers Affordable HealthCare Plans

ACA, Individual and Family

 

New Law. Lower Prices. More Qualify. 

With new law passed in the most recent calendar year, people who buy healthcare through Marketplace hubs are able to save more with more affordable premiums. A majority of suitors who find health plans through HealthCare.gov can fin plans for less than $10 a month.

There’s more than one way to enroll in Marketplace coverage. If you would like help from an agent or broker, or would like to enroll through one of our certified enrollment partners, you can visit here.


 

Don’t forget that it’s never too late to enroll with Healthedly Insurance Services for your life insurance. 

Also, utilize these resources to help navigate what you’re looking for: 

  • ACA
  • Medicare
  • Group Health
  • Life 
  • Travel Health

January 7, 2022
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Bright HealthCare Expands Affordable Health Plan Options and Care Delivery Network in North Carolina

ACA, General Information, Individual and Family, Obamacare

 

Bright HealthCare Expands Affordable Health Plan Options and Care Delivery Network in North Carolina

Bright HealthCare announced today that it is expanding its affordable health plan options for individuals and families in North Carolina and is also growing its care network to include new Care Partners. These new health plan options are available starting Nov. 1, 2021, to individuals and families purchasing health insurance on the state based exchange. The expansion grows Bright HealthCare’s North Carolina footprint to 56 counties, reaching over 367,000 potential consumers.

Bright HealthCare, which operates in North Carolina under the corporate name Bright Health Company of North Carolina, has offered health plan options to North Carolinians since 2020 and has worked to provide affordable care to those who need it most including low-income and other vulnerable populations.

Bright HealthCare’s network includes Novant Health, Cone Health, Mission Health, Triad Healthcare Network, Duke Health, WakeMed, WakeMed Key Community Care and Vidant Health.

Bright HealthCare’s plans help people access the care they need while keeping healthcare costs low. They are designed to improve the healthcare experience through building durable, trusting two-way relationships between consumers and primary care providers.

Highlights include:

  • Low or no-cost premiums

  • Low or no-cost deductibles

  • Low or no-cost primary care visits

  • Mental health coverage

  • No-cost non-emergency transportation

  • Rewards program

Bright HealthCare, which is part of Bright Health Group (NYSE: BHG), offers health plans that serve consumers across their entire life journey, including individual and family, Medicare Advantage and employer-sponsored plans. These products are built around Integrated Systems of Care in each market and leverage Bright Health Group’s proprietary DocSquad™ technology which together have consistently shown to produce better outcomes.

The 2022 Open Enrollment Period (OEP) begins on November 1, 2021, and closes January 15, 2022. Coverage purchased by December 15 will start on January 1, 2022.

Don’t forget that it’s never too late to enroll with Healthedly Insurance Services for your health insurance coverage. 

 

 

 

 

 

 


November 1, 2021
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An Elbow Injury Exposes the Exorbitant Costs of Health Care

General Information, Individual and Family

 An Elbow Injury Exposes the Exorbitant Costs of Health Care

A patient banged my right elbow playing hockey, and went to the hospital. Doctors diagnosed it as bursitis. In late May, he became feverish and delirious. He checked into Hoboken University Medical Center. An emergency-room physician diagnosed sepsis based on blood and other tests.


His hospital’s $185,037.45 bill includes $13,500 for an MRI of his elbow, $9,500 for a CAT scan and $17,797.12 for two x-rays. “Laboratory” expenses related to blood tests carried out throughout the stay, totaling at $44,787.96. The bill for the semi-private hospital room is $54,000, or $18,000 per night. The hospital’s charges were concerning and struck him and two physicians he ran them by as high. A medical-imaging Web site says “upper-extremity” MRI scans cost between $1,050 and $7,000; another site says overnight hospital stays average $11,700.

His personal payments have been minimal because he is insured by Cigna Health. He notified Cigna of the situation shortly after being admitted to the hospital, and Cigna authorized the hospital stay and surgery as “emergency treatment.” That means Cigna defines my out-of-network care as in-network because of the lack of options. Just because Cigna authorizes the treatment does not mean it must pay what caregivers charge. Caregivers can pressure the insurance company to increase reimbursements they consider too low.

Don’t forget that it’s never too late to enroll with Healthedly for your life insurance. 


October 13, 2021
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Last chance for 13 million individuals to get health care through the marketplace

ACA, Individual and Family, Obamacare

Thirteen Million People In The U.S. Have Two Weeks To Apply For Free Health Insurance

 

LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST:

Free health insurance. If you are uninsured or you’ve been on unemployment benefits this year, please listen up. There’s new financial help passed by Congress earlier this year that means you might be eligible for health plans with zero – yes, $0 premiums. As of today, there are two weeks left to enroll during the pandemic special enrollment period, so we’ve brought in NPR health policy correspondent Selena Simmons-Duffin to explain. Hello, Selena.

SELENA SIMMONS-DUFFIN, BYLINE: Hi, Lulu.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: All right. I got to tell you free health insurance doesn’t sound like a real thing. How is it even possible?

SIMMONS-DUFFIN: I know, right? But it totally is a real thing. So the free health plans come in a couple different flavors. There is Medicaid, which is the state federal public plan for low-income people. Then there’s the Affordable Care Act exchanges on healthcare.gov – there are free bronze plans. That’s the lowest tier of plans. They might be available with $0 premiums, depending on your income. And now there’s also some new things available because of the COVID relief package that passed earlier this year, including a whole new category of free plans that’s only available as of this past July. So if you have been on unemployment at any point this year, you might qualify for a very comprehensive silver plan through the end of 2021.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: All right. So we know there are around 29 million uninsured people, still, in the United States. How many of them qualify for one of those plans?

SIMMONS-DUFFIN: Almost half.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Ooh.

SIMMONS-DUFFIN: So the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation estimates about 13 million people who are uninsured qualify for $0 premium plans.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: So this is really news you can use.

SIMMONS-DUFFIN: Yeah.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: But free plans might mean not very good plans. I mean, we’ve heard about these lower-tier plans perhaps not being the best, you know, quality. How much do these actually cover?

SIMMONS-DUFFIN: So more than you might think. Previously, bronze plans with $0 premiums might have had, like, $6,000 deductibles. And that would scare people off from signing up. But another thing that’s new here is there’s new cost-sharing help for low-income people. Here’s Cynthia Cox. She’s the director of the program on the ACA at the Kaiser Family Foundation.

CYNTHIA COX: You can get zero premium and possibly even zero deductible or maybe a $100 or $200 deductible. But that’s the best type of plan that you can even get in the U.S., and really in a lot of other countries too, you know, because this is a really good deal.

SIMMONS-DUFFIN: I’ve been talking to people around the country that have enrolled in some of these free plans, including Deborah Kagan (ph), who just moved to Tampa. She got a free plan on healthcare.gov because she’s been on unemployment. She was laid off from a contract furniture business last year due to the pandemic.

DEBORAH KAGAN: I got a plan that costs nothing, and it covers all my medical needs because my biggest fear was having Type 1 diabetes. Without my medication, I’m dead.

SIMMONS-DUFFIN: She is thrilled and relieved and very thankful to the navigators who helped her sign up. Those are people who are trained to provide free sign-up help without pushing you a certain way or taking a commission.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: OK, so if these plans are free and provide good coverage and we know that a lot of people were on unemployment over the period of this pandemic, why would people not be signing up?

SIMMONS-DUFFIN: So some people are signing up. About 2 million new people have enrolled in plans but not 13 million. So this is a big question. It is kind of a head scratcher. I’ve put the question to a lot of people, including Louise Norris. She co-owns a health insurance brokerage in Colorado and writes for healthinsurance.org. And she says sometimes people have had a bad experience or found the plans were too expensive in the past, or maybe they’re worried their doctor won’t take a new plan, or they’re not sure what documents they’ll need to sign up.

LOUISE NORRIS: There are so many little reasons that somebody might be hesitating. And when you put them all together, you end up with, you know, at least a few million people who are leaving these benefits on the table. And – but I – honestly, I would say that probably the biggest one is people just don’t know what they can get.

SIMMONS-DUFFIN: So the Biden administration has put some muscle into advertising these new plans, but they’re going up against years of almost no outreach during the Trump administration. And there’s a lot of misinformation out there, too.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: All right. So two weeks to sign up – is that what’s left?

SIMMONS-DUFFIN: Yeah, that’s right. So August 15 is the deadline. Now, I should say there are lots of options beyond just these free plans for low-income people and unemployed people, including more financial help for high- and middle-income people as well. And now after the special enrollment period ends, enrollment opens again in November. The pandemic has meant enrollment is open almost the entire year. So there are lots of chances to check out plans and to sign up.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Do not leave money on the table. That is what I have always been told. That’s NPR’s Selena Simmons-Duffin. Thank you very much.

SIMMONS-DUFFIN: Thank you, Lulu.

(SOUNDBITE OF MOKHOV’S “MAGIC TIMES”)

To listen to the audio, visit npr.org

Shop & Compare Individual & Family Health Insurance Plans and Medicare Plans >

August 5, 2021
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Proposed change to the “Birthday Rule”

ACA, Individual and Family, Medicare

 

Proposed Law Would End Health Insurance ‘Birthday Rule’ That Snags New Parents

For Charlie Kjelshus, “the birthday rule” meant that dad Mikkel’s plan ― with a high deductible and coinsurance obligation ― was deemed her primary coverage after her stay as a newborn in the neonatal intensive care unit. Mom Kayla’s more generous plan was considered secondary coverage. It left her parents with a huge bill.

When Kayla Kjelshus gave birth to her first child, the infant spent seven days in the neonatal intensive care unit, known as the NICU. This stressful medical experience was followed by an equally stressful financial one. Because of an obscure health insurance policy called the “birthday rule,” Kjelshus and her husband, Mikkel, were hit with an unexpected charge of more than $200,000 for the NICU stay.

Now, six months after Kaiser Health News and NPR published a story about the Kjelshus family’s experience, new parents may be spared this kind of financial uncertainty if lawmakers pass a bill that would give parents more control when it’s time to pick a health insurance policy for their child.

The new proposed law would eliminate the birthday rule. That rule dictates how insurance companies pick the primary insurer for a child when both parents have coverage: The parent whose birthday comes first in the calendar year covers the new baby with their plan first. For the Kjelshuses of Olathe, Kan., that meant the insurance held by Mikkel, whose birthday is two weeks before his wife’s, was primary, even though his policy was much less generous and based in a different state.

It’s an outdated policy,” Mikkel Kjelshus said. “Nowadays both parents typically have to work just to make ends meet.” Two jobs often means two offers of health insurance — and while double coverage should be a good thing, in practice, it can lead to a bureaucratic nightmare such as the one the Kjelshuses faced.

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., introduced Empowering Parents’ Healthcare Choices Act, a bill that would do away with the birthday rule and a “coordination of benefits policy” that trips up first-time parents when it’s time to sign up a new baby for insurance.

“When I heard about the Kjelshus family’s story, I knew there had to be a way to help,” Davids said. “Parents should have the power when it comes to their new baby’s health care coverage.”

For Charlie Kjelshus, the birthday rule meant her dad’s plan — with a $12,000 deductible, a high coinsurance obligation and a network focused in another state — was deemed her primary coverage. Her mom’s more generous plan was secondary. Confusion over the two plans caused a tangle of red tape for the family that took almost two years and national media attention to resolve.

This model regulation was set by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and adopted by most states, including Kansas, said Lee Modesitt, director of public affairs with the Kansas Insurance Department. It is a somewhat arbitrary rule that could be fair if all jobs offered health plans with similar coverage. But for many families, one partner’s plan is much more generous.

“It feels awesome,” Mikkel Kjelshus said of the news that a change has been proposed. “We really didn’t want this to happen to anyone else.”

To be enacted, the bill would need to pass the House and Senate before receiving the president’s signature. Davids was elected to Congress in 2018, flipping a seat in Overland Park, Kan., that a Republican had held for a decade. She was reelected in 2020 and is the only Democrat in Kansas’ House delegation.

Ellie Turner, a spokesperson for the congresswoman, said Davids is talking with colleagues in the House to garner additional support.

“It’s becoming clear that the Kjelshus family is not alone in this experience,” Turner wrote in an email. “We are going to continue working to raise awareness and gain momentum for a birthday rule fix, because every family deserves a choice when it comes to their child’s health.”

As they await the arrival of their second child, this time around the Kjelshuses family have a better idea of how the health insurance will work. And, much like the first time, they feel prepared.

“We’ve got the crib. We’ve got the baby stuff. It’s a lot less stress this time around,” Mikkel Kjelshus said. “We kind of know what we’re doing.”

Bill of the Month is a crowdsourced investigation by Kaiser Health News and NPR that dissects and explains medical bills. Do you have an interesting medical bill you want to share with us? Tell us about it!

This article was originally published on npr.org on July 27th, 2021.
Written by: Cara Anthony

Shop & Compare Individual & Family Health Insurance Plans and Medicare Plans >

July 28, 2021
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Friday Health Plans: The Benefits of Attending Farmer’s Markets

Health Resources, Individual and Family

It’s the weekend, you want to get out, but you need to run errands. Why not hit up a local farmer’s market? Kill two birds with one stone. And that’s not the only excuse to visit one of these local gems.  

 

Farmer’s markets are a public and recurring assembly of farmers or their representatives selling the food they produce directly to consumers. Farmer’s markets vary in size and always reflect a region’s agriculture and seasons. Some markets are seasonal because produce can only grow during certain parts of the year. In contrast, others involve hundreds of vendors and take place year-round. Some of these markets often also feature artists, local businesses, and small family events.

So, what are the benefits of attending such an event?

Tasty and Fresh Food

It may seem obvious, but you get to shop for fresh and better-tasting foods when you go to a farmer’s market. From greens to fruits to meats, the options are often delicious. Produce you find at the grocery store is usually several days old before you can buy it. At farmer’s markets, the stand’s owner usually picked what you’re buying just that morning and when it is at peak ripeness! Now that’ll taste amazing. Whether you’re in Colorado buying some delicious Olathe Sweet Corn or sweet Palisade Peaches, in New Mexico getting some fresh spicy Hatch Green Chili, in Texas buying juicy cantaloupe, or elsewhere indulging in other local delicacies, you’ll know exactly where it’s come from and how it got to you.

When you shop at a farmer’s market, most of the food is tastier and better for you, containing fewer chemicals and intervention than mass-produced foods. The foods are often more nutritious as well; vivid colors in fruits and vegetables reflect the nutrients they contain, and we’re guessing you’ll encounter a whole rainbow of produce at the market.

When you buy from farmer’s markets, you also encourage healthy eating within your community. How cool?

Help Preserve America’s Rural Livelihoods and Family-Owned Farms

According to the Farmer’s Market Coalition, “farmers markets provide one of the only low-barrier entry points for beginning farmers, allowing them to start small, test the market, and grow their businesses.”

Smaller farms often have a hard time competing with massive industrial farms that produce mass amounts of food. Giant corporations run industrial farms, driving local family farms out of business. To be more efficient, these corporate farms do monoculture farming, in which a single huge field grows only one type of produce. This can drain the soil of nutrients, leaving it barren and hard to use. Corporate farms also use mass pesticides and other unhealthy practices. When you buy from local, smaller farmers, they benefit from your business and can practice healthier growing techniques.

This also means that you are supporting sustainability. Three out of every four farmers selling at farmer’s markets say they use practices consistent with organic standards. You’re helping the environment, promoting better practices, and using your dollars to push for change.

Stimulate Your Local Economy

One recent study discovered that “for every dollar of sales, small farming operations are generating twice as much economic activity within the region, as compared to producers who are not involved in things like farmers markets.” The study reveals that for every $1 million in revenue, direct-market farms create almost 32 local jobs, whereas larger wholesale growers create only 10.5.

When you buy from a farmer’s market, those farmers give back to the community in turn. Same with any artisans or local businesses selling at the market. They create jobs, buy from each other, and often source their supplies for growing locally too. The money may even wind up back in YOUR pocket!

Get Affordable Food

The value of food at farmer’s markets is incredible. Not only are you getting something fresh and better for you, but it’s usually at a great price! Some farmer’s markets even take SNAP benefits or have pay-what-you-can programs. The benefits to your health are even likely to save you money on healthcare expenses over the long term.

Get some Social Activity

The farmer’s market is a place of gathering. Often, they feature family-friendly activities, happy to educate vendors, classes, entertainment, and friendly faces. What better place to spend a couple of hours? You may even make some friends or tire out the kiddos!

We hope you hit up a farmer’s market this summer! Here are some websites to find one near you!

Local Harvest: A search engine for finding events near you.

US Department of Agriculture: Local Food directory search engine.

Farmstand: App for Android users to find local producers.

Farmzie: App for Apple users to find local stands and producers.

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July 13, 2021
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