Here’s a quick look at some health insurance tips that you can really apply in your daily lives.

Understand what your health insurance covers.

Here are 10 essential health benefits covered by health insurance plans.

1. Yearly check-ups.
2. Primary care and specialist visits
3. Cancer screenings
4. Blood tests
5. Recommended vaccines
6. Prescription drugs
7. Emergency care
8. Maternity and newborn care
9. Mental health services

Take advantage of Preventive care services

Preventive care helps you stay healthy and identify health risks so you can take action. Here are examples of free preventive care through your plan’s network providers:

Annual well visits

Screenings such as for blood pressure and cholesterol levels

Certain cancer screenings. These include colonoscopies (to detect colon cancer) and mammograms (to deduct breast cancer).

Some vaccines, including a yearly flu shot

Screenings for depression

Programs to help you quit smoking

Contact your health care provider to schedule the preventive health screenings that are appropriate for you, and check your health plan to find out what’s covered.

Remember, Obmacare ensures coverage for pre-existing conditions

All Marketplace plans, except for grandfathered plans, must cover treatment for pre-existing medical conditions.

No insurance plan can reject you, charge you more, or refuse to pay for essential health benefits for any condition you had before your coverage started.

Once you’re enrolled, the plan can’t deny you coverage or raise your rates based only on your health.

Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) also can't refuse to cover you or charge you more because of your pre-existing condition.

Apply for Advanced Premium Tax Credits

Apply for the Advanced Premium Tax Credit (APTC) if you're earning between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. APTCs are the subsidy attached to the ACA that lowers your out-of-pocket premium costs. The APTC is an especially helpful tool for seniors aged 50 to 64 and lower-income individuals and families that makes their premiums affordable.

In 2018, the federal poverty level for a household of one will be $12,060, meaning folks with earned income of $12,060 to $48,240 may qualify for the APTC.

Apply for cost-sharing reductions

Similarly, you should also see if you qualify for cost-sharing reductions (CSRs), which help lower your out-of-pocket expenses when heading to the doctor. Those earning between 100% and 250% of the federal poverty level qualify for CSRs, but there is one major catch. In order to receive CSRs, you'll have to buy a silver-tier plan. Even though bronze-tier plans have lower monthly premiums, no CSRs are given to consumers if they purchase a bronze plan. Thus, it's in your best interests to consider purchasing a silver plan if you'll qualify for CSRs.

Based on the federal poverty levels for 2018 coverage, those earning between $12,060 and $30,150 may qualify.