What Health Insurance Do Rich People Have?

Individuals with substantial financial resources often approach healthcare with strategies beyond typical insurance plans. Their choices involve direct access to specialized medical services, specific insurance products, and global options. This approach allows for highly personalized care and a broader spectrum of medical solutions.

Concierge and Executive Healthcare Models

Wealthy individuals frequently opt for healthcare models prioritizing personalized attention and comprehensive preventive care. Concierge medicine involves an annual membership fee for enhanced primary care services. This fee, ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 per year, grants patients benefits such as extended appointments, direct access to their physician, and personalized wellness plans. These services are often used with a separate traditional insurance policy covering significant medical events like hospitalizations or specialist visits.

Executive health programs are comprehensive, multi-day health assessments from leading medical institutions. These programs, costing $1,700 to $10,000 or more, include advanced diagnostics, extensive screenings, and consultations with various specialists. They focus on preventive care, early disease detection, and personalized wellness strategies. Executive health programs are direct-pay services, with costs paid out-of-pocket and separate from standard health insurance.

High-Deductible Plans and Health Savings

High-Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) are a common component of healthcare strategies for affluent individuals. An HDHP is a health insurance plan with a higher deductible than traditional plans, functioning as catastrophic coverage. In 2025, an individual HDHP must have a deductible of at least $1,650, and a family plan, $3,300. These plans feature lower monthly premiums, attractive for those who can cover the higher deductible if a major medical event occurs.

HDHPs are paired with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), tax-advantaged savings accounts for healthcare expenses. HSAs offer a “triple tax advantage”: contributions are tax-deductible or made pre-tax, funds grow tax-free, and withdrawals are tax-free for qualified medical expenses. For 2025, individuals can contribute up to $4,300 to an HSA, while family coverage allows up to $8,550, with an additional $1,000 catch-up for those aged 55 and older. Funds accumulate and can be used tax-free for medical, dental, and vision expenses, even in retirement.

This combination of an HDHP and HSA allows wealthy individuals to manage significant healthcare costs effectively. The HDHP provides a safety net for large medical bills, while the HSA serves as a tax-efficient savings and investment tool for routine and future healthcare expenditures. This financial structure can complement concierge medicine or executive health programs, with direct-care models handling regular and preventive care, and the HDHP/HSA addresses major medical events.

Specialized Insurance and Global Medical Options

Beyond conventional health insurance, affluent individuals may consider specialized insurance products. Long-term care insurance covers costs associated with long-term services and supports, such as personal and custodial care, not covered by traditional health insurance or Medicare. This policy can help cover expenses for care received at home, in assisted living facilities, or nursing homes.

Critical illness insurance provides a lump-sum payment upon diagnosis of specific serious conditions, such as a heart attack, stroke, or cancer. This payout is made directly to the policyholder and can be used for any purpose, including medical expenses not covered by primary insurance, living expenses, or lost income during recovery. These specialized policies offer financial protection against substantial costs from chronic illnesses or severe health events.

Global medical options, often called medical tourism, involve seeking treatment abroad for specialized procedures or faster access to care. Specialized international health insurance plans for expatriates or frequent travelers can cover such treatments. For some ultra-wealthy individuals, highly customized healthcare arrangements may be managed through family offices, including direct contracts with providers or self-funded models.