The Vox guide to using your benefits

Sometimes, it seems as if navigating health insurance benefits requires its own language (and maybe an actuarial degree to boot). The questions are endless: Is it better to have a high premium and a low deductible, or the other way around? How are you supposed to guess how much money to put in a flexible spending account? Please remind me, what is “coinsurance” again? And perhaps the biggest question of all: Why is all of this so complicated?

If you are one of the approximately 65 percent of Americans with private health insurance, it’s essential to actually understand how your benefits work and how to get the most use out of them. We’re here to help. We hope these stories allow you to make the best decisions for you and your health with just a little bit less stress in the new year.

Editorial Lead: Libby Nelson | Editors: Meredith Haggerty, Alanna Okun | Reporters: Dylan Scott, Emily Stewart, Allie Volpe | Style & Standards: Tanya Pai, Caity PenzeyMoog, Kim Eggleston, Elizabeth Crane, Sarah Schweppe, Anouck Dussaud | Art Director: Paige Vickers | Illustrator: Sebastian König | Audio: A. Hall, Jonquilyn Hill, Sofi LaLonde | Audience Lead: Shira Tarlo | Managing Editors: Natalie Jennings, Nisha Chittal | Special Thanks: Blair Hickman, Andrew Losowsky, Sam Hankins, Amani Orr