They view it as something that only wealthy individuals, or those who are older, have. Although it’s good to have a positive attitude, you can’t expect to stay healthy forever. Ignoring the possibility of illness or injury won’t serve you well if you do get sick. As the below article will demonstrate, having health insurance is extremely vital.
Open enrollment is a time for you to assess your health care needs. You may need more or less coverage than the previous year and changes may need to be made in your coverage. Do not forget to make any needed changes to vision or dental insurance.
To save on health insurance costs, choose catastrophic coverage instead of comprehensive. Prescriptions and doctor’s visits are covered by a comprehensive plan, while hospital and emergency care is covered by catastrophic health insurance.
It does not matter which type of health insurance you have, everyone will save money if they choose to get generic drugs when filling a prescription. There are only rare times you can’t get generic medicine, and most studies show there is not a measurable difference between brand and generic, save the name.
Each state has its own rules for insurance, so you have to buy coverage in the state of your residence. This could mean that you are not covered if you need to visit a hospital out of state. Because insurance providers are so picky, it is important that you find this information about before going to another state.
Read your policy to ensure you know exactly which prescriptions are covered and which are not. The list is updated annually, and if you take expensive prescriptions, you should ensure they’re still covered before you re-enroll.
If you want to get pregnant in the future, ensure your insurance covers the pregnancy costs. You must consider this, as certain health insurance plans exclude prenatal care and labor from their coverage.
Keep in mind that some employers will charge an additional fee, known as a spousal surcharge, if you add a spouse to your plan whose employer also provides health insurance coverage. It could be more cost effective to maintain separate coverage through respective employers. Therefore, you should ensure you calculate both of these scenarios.
Starting a personal Health Savings Account or HSA is a good idea if you are among the lucky few that rarely goes to a doctor’s office. The money you are not paying in premiums and insurance deductibles goes into this account to be used for future medical expenses.
Keep track of your bills. Even with an insurance plan, you might find yourself having to pay expensive bills, especially if you have to buy prescription medication. Some doctors will write out their prescriptions with the name brand only, never thinking of the generic. Don’t forget to shop around. Generics are generally cheap, but different pharmacies have different prices.
Whenever you look at health insurance for catastrophic events, do your due diligence. Be sure that all kinds of events are covered by your catastrophic event insurance. Once you have chosen your plan, start a HSA (health savings account) and make deposits that will cover your deductible, just in case the worst does happen.
With any luck, this article has given you some great reasons to cover yourself with health insurance. Good health insurance can make a huge difference in your life, but often people wait too long to get the coverage they need. It’s better to be prepared than be sorry. No matter how expensive health insurance may seem, it won’t cost as much as an uninsured, unexpected hospital stay.
