Some people are underinsured, or not insured at all, due to the high costs of health insurance plans. There is plenty of potential confusion in the field, too, thanks to the wide range of plans and policies available from each provider. The tips in this article can help you understand the types of health insurance policies that are available to you and the differences in providers.
When you are getting a health care plan, consider the health of your family and yourself. If you are not dealing with any health issues, you may be tempted to buy insurance that has a cheaper premium. While this may be cheaper initially, this could cause risks if problems develop.
When you are considering getting personal health insurance make sure that you sit down and figure all of the costs. Co-pays, premiums, and deductibles can be difficult to grasp, so add everything up to see all the costs prior to buying the insurance.
Open Enrollment Period
If an open enrollment period is available to you, take advantage of it by reassessing your requirements in a health insurance policy. You may want to make changes to your current policy if something isn’t working, or maybe your health needs have changed or your family has grown. It is best to make needed changes during the open enrollment period for vision and dental insurance as well.
Do a quick check annually to verify what prescription medications your policy will continue to cover. Since insurance companies are prone to altering what drugs they will cover, read all the fine print each time you re-enroll. If your medication isn’t covered anymore, you may want to look for another insurance company.
Catastrophic Coverage
To save the most money possible on health insurance premiums, consider catastrophic coverage instead of a more comprehensive one. Unlike comprehensive insurance, catastrophic coverage has less coverage for routine care, and will only cover “big ticket” costs.
Pay less on your taxes with health insurance! Although many people aren’t aware of the fact, health insurance premiums are tax deductible. The money you pay for deductibles, visits or prescriptions that aren’t covered by insurance are also deductible. Check to see what guidelines the federal and state governments have for tax breaks.
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. Read your paperwork thoroughly, so you know what your policy covers and what it does not. Put money aside each month so that you always have funds available to pay for medical procedures that are not covered by your insurance.
If you talk to a health insurance agent, don’t tell them anything they don’t ask for. Just give them answers to the specific questions they ask you. If you add any extra information, it will be notated in their records and could result in higher premiums or even a rejection of your application.
Don’t forget that insurance companies are in business to make as big a profit as they can, and therefore, are known for being less than transparent when dealing with people who don’t know the ropes. Take a look at the tips and tricks here to make sure that you are confident and that you get the best possible coverage when starting a new policy or renewing an old one.
