Gaining The Best Knowledge About Health Insurance 2
Gaining The Best Knowledge About Health Insurance
Health insurance is a big and confusing topic. It is easy to become overwhelmed with all there is to learn about the subject. However, it is important to educate yourself, because it is one of the most important decisions you have to make. These helpful health insurance tips can get you started.
Careful, some insurance plans have a maximum payout per year, or worse, a maximum lifetime payout. Be sure to check to make sure that your plan has neither, as this could be dangerously costly to you when something serious happens – be it a heart attack that needs surgery or an extended stint in the ICU.
When applying for health insurance, it is very important that you are honest about your medical history on all of the questionnaires and paperwork. Double check your answers to make sure that everything is correct. One dishonest statement or accidental error can lead to a denial of your coverage or higher rates.
Look into setting up an HSA account when buying your own health insurance. This will allow you to put away savings pre-tax that you can use for paying your deductible and other health care related expenses. You will need to have an HSA approved health plan to go with it.
To save money on your health insurance, chose the plan that fits your needs best. There are three general health insurance organizations: HMO’s-which require you to use doctors in a specific network, PPO’s-which allow you to pick a doctor out of the network for a fee, and POS’-which are a combination of HMO’s and PPO’s.
A great health insurance tip that can save you money is to fight any medical bills that you think are too excessive. All you have to do is approach your doctor and usually they’ll be flexible with you. Fixing a huge medical bill can save you a ton of money.
Health insurance may not completely cover the cost of birth control or well-woman visits with your physician. An alternative to a regular gynecologist is Planned Parenthood, which offers exams, counseling and birth control on a sliding scale, meaning the amount you are charged is based on your ability to pay. County health clinics may also offer these services.
Even if you have a PPO, if you’re considering any kind of procedure, you should definitely contact your health insurance company to be sure the procedure you want to have is covered. All too often, people have procedures done without checking with their health insurance company, only to find after the fact that the procedure was not covered and they are now 100% financially responsible for it. Know before you go!
If you are dissatisfied with your health insurance company, and the customer service office gave you no satisfaction, bring your complaint to the consumer affairs division of your state’s insurance department. This division can investigate the problem and can offer help in finding a resolution for your complaint. Sometimes getting a state agency involved can get the insurance company to cooperate.
As you can see, even though it is a complex area, you can understand a lot about health insurance. You just need to take a little time to educate yourself. By following the suggestions you learned in this article, you will be equipped to make smarter and wiser health insurance decisions.
