Any advice on health insurers?

[BlueStreak]

1. Think of it as a 1-year deal, not a long-term relationship

You have to go through this deal every year. Of course, if you are happy with your company, they will try to get you to renew directly with them.

The most important thing it to determine who is in network. In my market there are only two insurers, Anthem BCBS and a no-name. Anthem has a HORRIBLE network -- basically nobody is in it, and you probably wouldn't want to use the ones who ARE in it. The no-name company has a very comprehensive network, basically anybody I'd want to use.

I would have gone with the no-name, but my other half had a preference for staying one more year on the Anthem non-ACA policy, which also has a good network. So we didn't go with the no-name. My expectation is that for 2015 there will be another company or two in the mix and the networks will be better, so I plan to get an ACA policy for 2015.