Too many people wait until something happens to get health insurance. For most people, this is because they don’t think about it, don’t understand it, under-estimate its importance, or think they can’t afford it. With the information and advice you’ll find below, you can make better health insurance decisions in the future.
It is wise to look over your prescription insurance plan at least once a year. Health insurance carriers sometimes change which medicines they cover, so investigate the details when you re-enroll. If you take a medication daily that is not covered anymore by your insurer, you may need to find a new insurance company — fast.
To save the most money possible on health insurance premiums, consider catastrophic coverage instead of a more comprehensive one. While comprehensive has more benefits, catastrophic only covers emergency care and hospital care.
Don’t expect your health care policy to be straightforward. Learn all the exceptions in your policy so that your insurance company won’t deny you benefits you thought you were entitled to based on a loophole. Make sure you read the policy thoroughly, if you do not you may be shocked to learn that your insurance doesn’t cover a visit or procedure. Some procedures or prescriptions will come with costs that you have to pay up front.
During the phone interviews that health insurance companies conduct before granting coverage, don’t answer questions the company doesn’t ask. Answer only questions which are directly asked. If you give them additional information they did not ask for, they will record it, and could find a way to raise your rates or possibly deny you for coverage.
Review your insurance plan annually to see which prescriptions are covered. Medicines that are covered may change occasionally. It is better to know in advance and not be surprised at the checkout counter of your pharmacy.
Make sure that your health insurance plan covers pregnancy expenses before you get pregnant, and if yours doesn’t then you’ll need to find one that does. This is extremely important because there are plans that will not cover certain pregnancy and labor needs.
Even if you have a pet that lives indoors, it is still a great idea to get them pet health insurance. Just as people are susceptible to illness and accidental injury, so too are our pets. There is a lot that can happen unexpectedly. Even indoor pets can break a tooth or a bone that may require costly veterinary care.
One option available to you when you get a prescription, is to ask the doctor if he or she would double the dose prescribed. Many times, the larger-dosage pill does not cost twice as much as the smaller dosage, so if you split each double-dose pill, you can save some money on your prescription pills. The pill splitter that you bought will be more than paid for.
You could receive a special reduced-cost medical care card if you manage to qualify for the program. This card will help you receive a lower rate at the insurance company you decide to use. This sort of card will allow you to visit lower cost doctors within the insurance network. This is helpful to families with low incomes. By having one of these, you could use an HSA to afford any expenses.
Health Insurance
Now that you have a better grasp on health insurance and how it works, you should be prepared to make educated decisions about policies for your family. Insurance is important to have and shouldn’t be neglected. Health insurance can be one of the greatest investments that you make.
