Over the past several years, healthcare and health insurance have gained attention as families across Idaho navigate the new waters of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and an exchange-based marketplace. This fall, many people will renew their focus on healthcare coverage and the 2015 open enrollment period when people can again shop for insurance plans.

In 2014, more than 76,000 Idahoans signed up for coverage, putting our state in the top three in the nation, per capita, in the number of people who enrolled. That means thousands of Idahoans now have access to care they didn't have before. They can see their doctor for common conditions before they become chronic and get small problems under control before they become big.

While more people have access to healthcare, there are many who still do not have insurance. The open enrollment period beginning Nov. 15 gives people another chance to choose an insurance plan that meets their needs. People can begin reviewing their options online through Your Health Idaho Oct. 1.

Some insurers treat your health insurance like a commodity, believing that, like salt or gasoline, the product you choose is basically the same no matter what company you buy it from. However, your family's health and financial security is too important to trust to chance like you might with seasoning on your dinner table or fuel for your car.

While health insurance companies use many of the same terms to describe their plans, there are big differences in what a plan may cover and which doctors and hospitals accept the insurance. There are also big differences in the level of services and added benefits an insurance company provides.

In Idaho, we have a number of companies to choose from, and the options and competition they provide are good for the market. Most of these are not-for-profit, member-owned companies, like Blue Cross of Idaho, who do not have shareholders to pay and who therefore can focus their efforts completely on the members' needs. Many of these non-profits also have proven service records and the financial strength and security that come from providing service in Idaho for decades.

If you shop for health insurance this fall, look closely at your options. Talk to an insurance agent you trust to help you understand your plan options and the companies that provide them. The differences between plans may seem minor, but your plan, and the company you partner with, can have a big impact on how happy you are with your coverage - choose carefully.

Zelda Geyer-Sylvia is president and CEO of Blue Cross of Idaho.