My Insurance is Changing - Help!

Written By Champaign Counseling

By: Emily Beck

As many of us in the Champaign/Urbana community know, Health Alliance is closing its doors at the end of 2025. While this leaves many of us confused, surprised, and saddened, it also brings up a lot of questions for those of us who have Health Alliance insurance, and some general questions. What happens now? What insurance provider will I have? Will my medical providers be in network? What even is a deductible?

While we at Champaign Counseling bill insurance for the majority of our clients, we are in no way experts. We can, however, give you some tips for managing this change. These tips are helpful not only because of Health Alliance closing but also anytime your insurance might be changing.

  1. Don’t panic - You are not in this alone. Something like 7000 University of Illinois employees, along with tons of state employees, and people who work for privately owned companies, are having to choose a new insurance provider, so you are in very good company. Take a deep breath and ask questions.

  2. Look to your benefit advisor - If you get health insurance through your job, there is likely someone whose job is specifically to explain different insurance options to employees. This person can help explain the parts of your insurance plan that are confusing, and help you know where to look to find out what providers are in network, what your projected cost should be, and how you can contact your insurance company directly.

  3. Learn a few key terms - In the insurance world, you’ll hear terms like premium, copay, coinsurance, deductible, and out-of-pocket max (along with a bunch of other terms). Knowing what these terms mean can help you navigate your insurance benefits much more easily. For example, a premium is what you pay monthly (usually directly from your paycheck), whereas a copay is what you might pay per appointment. I say *might* because not every plan has copays, and some have costs that have other names. 

  4. Search your insurance website - Insurance companies have directories on their websites that list what health care providers are in-network (this means that the provider accepts your insurance). Look up all of your providers before making a change. If your providers are not in network with your insurance, you may end up either having to change providers or with an unexpected bill. 

  5. Look for local resources - Champaign has an organization that is specifically for helping you navigate the health insurance world, whether it be through the Affordable Care Act, your employer, or even Medicaid! Check them out here: https://www.healthcareconsumers.org/get-help/ 

  6. Talk to your providers - Many health care providers have billing specialists who can tell you, generally, if they are in network with the plans you are looking at. This person will likely encourage you to call your insurance also, but it does help to double check. 

  7. Expect bumps in the road - Sometimes the insurance directory isn’t up to date, or you might talk to someone who has the wrong information. While the system isn’t perfect, it is the system we are working within, and patience is key. If you get a bill that doesn’t make sense, call your insurance company.

Our healthcare system is not perfect, and it seems to be constantly changing. Just when you get used to one thing, or find a provider you like, you have to change jobs, or your employer offers a new plan. While this change with Health Alliance is not something we saw coming, it’s definitely something we can all manage with the right tools. 

We at Champaign Counseling do our best to look up your benefits before the first appointment, and anytime there are insurance changes, we can tell you what your benefits are likely to be. To do this, we need you to give us your insurance information as soon as possible after you schedule an appointment or know of a change. We always encourage you to call your insurance to double-check, as we sometimes don’t have as much information as they do. Just know that, throughout this process, we are here to help, and you are not alone. 

Feeling overwhelmed with change? Looking for help? Give us a call today to start promoting peace from within (We can also tell you if we’re in network with your insurance when you call!)

Champaign Counseling
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