Maryland health insurance rates are out: What to look for when buying a plan

Health insurance premium prices have been getting a lot of attention this week, after Maryland's Insurance Administration released Friday rates for individual plans.

But monthly premiums are only one piece of a health plan's total costs, which means the plan with the cheapest premium isn't necessarily the best option for you. Whether you're shopping through Maryland's health exchange for one of the individual plans announced last week or comparing plans through an employer, it is important to look beyond the sticker price.

Here are two other things to consider when shopping for health insurance:

Out-of-pocket costs: A co-pay is an example of a common out of pocket cost that is not reflected in a health plan's premium price. Some plans have higher co-pays than others, so it is important to understand what you'll be paying when you make a trip to the doctor's office that isn't covered by your premium. Provider network: Insurance companies negotiate rates with doctors they want to be in their network. Doctors not in the network cost more to see. Some insurers have bigger doctor networks than others. That means you should think about what you want in a provider network before choosing a plan. Do you already have doctors you like? Make sure they're in the network before deciding on a health plan. Is it important to have lots of options for doctors and specialists? A health plan from a carrier with a large network, like CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, may be a good option. Are you interested in a close-knit team of doctors? Kaiser Permanente and Evergreen Health Co-op employ doctors, who are the primary physicians for their members. Sarah covers health care, higher education, biotech and technology.