Dignity Health is not a health insurance company. Dignity Health is a provider network of more than 60,000 caregivers and staff who deliver excellent care to diverse communities in hospitals, physician offices and other types of care centers in 21 states. Headquartered in San Francisco, Dignity Health is the fifth largest health system in the nation and the largest hospital provider in California.

A health insurance broker or agent is a person who can help you apply for help to pay for your health insurance and enroll in a health plan. They can make specific recommendations about which plan to enroll in based on your health care needs. They are licensed and regulated by states and typically get payments, or commissions, from health insurers and therefore, consumers do not pay for their services. Dignity Health offers a list of brokers here who provide enrollment assistance over the phone and in person.

Open Enrollment is a time of year when you can sign up for health insurance.

Open Enrollment dates depend on the type of insurance:
CalPERS employees and retirees - September 10, 2018 - October 5, 2018 
Medicare Advantage - October 15, 2018 - December 7, 2018
Individual Market - October 15, 2018 - January 15, 2019 (for California). For most other states the Open Enrollment period has been shortened to November 1, 2018 - December 15, 2018.
Employees who have insurance through their employer often have an Open Enrollment period in the Fall for coverage starting January 1. However, Open Enrollment for employer plans can take place at any time during the year, usually 2-3 months before the health plan effective date.

Whether you are shopping for a health plan for the first time or looking to renew your coverage for another year, it's a good idea to consider your options. Be sure the plan covers the services you may need, such Office Visits, Prescription Drugs, Lab Tests and ER visits. Also, consider the monthly cost with the costs for when you receive care. Usually plans with lower monthly costs will have high amounts when receiving care. This type of plan may be a good option if you don't receive medical services on a regular basis. If you have a doctor or group of doctors you have been seeing or would like to see, be sure they are in the health plan's network. You can check with the health plan or the doctor. Be as specific as possible because health insurance companies have many networks. Including the plan name when you ask will help ensure you will receive the most accurate information.

One type of health insurance is not better than the other, but there are differences. With an HMO plan you will choose a Primary Care Provider (PCP), who will coordinate the care you need for any specialists.  Services are all provided through physicians and facilities in the health plan's HMO network.  With a PPO you may also choose a PCP, but you will not need a referral to see another physician.  It will usually cost less to see in-network physicians than an out-of-network physician.  Whether you are considering an HMO or a PPO, you can check which doctors, medical groups, hospitals, etc are in the network before you enroll.