Health Insurance Product Reviews (BETA)
Major Carriers and High Deductible Health Plans

Vimo Editorial: Health Plan Profile

The NetSaver 1500 has a lower deductible than some similarly priced high deductible plans on the market, such as the Nationwide PPO Choice Saver Select, but does feature higher coinsurance. After you've burned through your deductible, you'll pay 25 percent of most of your fees until your out-of-pocket maximum (OOPM) of $4,000 is reached. Then the plan covers 100 percent.

Like all Saver plans, this one delivers much lower premiums in exchange for a high deductible. Health Net may not enjoy the name recognition of a company like Blue Cross in California, but it does claim to boast a comparable network, with more than 318 California hospitals. Its plans are also more aggressively priced, and the Net Saver is considerably cheaper than the comparable Blue Cross Saver plan, the CORE 5000.

And like most Saver plans, the NetSaver 1500 does not cover maternity, so young women may want to apply for a more expensive high-deductible plan. But unlike many competing cheap plans, it does offer benefits in nontraditional areas such as mental health.

A major omission from the plan is a prescription drug benefit. This can be a huge expense if you require a name brand prescription, but if you stick to generics you can probably live with this. Additionally, NetSaver covers drugs administered to you while you are an inpatient at a hospital. Still, it may be enough to inspire you to purchase a more expensive plan.

BEST FOR: Anyone looking for a cheap, cheap plan.

PROS: Low, low, low price – one of the lowest premiums available from any plan in the With its rock-bottom premium price, the plan actually has a relatively low deductible, although the out-of-pocket-maximum is noticeably higher. In addition, Health Net has an excellent network in California .  If low premiums are your priority, the lack of the drug benefit shouldn’t dissuade you from purchasing the NetSaver, a solid high-deductible, low-premium plan.

CONS: The lack of maternity coverage isn't unusual for a Saver plan like this, but the lack of any prescription drug benefit is. If you require a name-brand drug for a chronic medical problem, you could end up spending hundreds of dollars a month, even if you've already burned through your out-of-pocket maximum.