It is risky to live with no health insurance; you could contract a serious disease or break every bone in your body. With no coverage, you will be left with a stack of medical bills. It’s better to have a good health insurance plan, so read on for tips to help you choose the correct policy to protect not only you, but your family, as well.
Health Insurance
There are plenty of options for you if you have just finished college and you are looking for health insurance. If you are employed, you can use the employee insurance provided by your job. If you are not yet 26, you can remain on your parents’ health insurance, though you may want to look into getting your own coverage.
When it is time for you to update your policy, check your current plan to verify that you still need all the services you are paying for, and that you have enough coverage. Your current coverage may no longer be adequate if your health conditions have changed or if you need coverage for a new family member. This is also when you can decide what vision and dental options suit you the best.
You can get catastrophic insurance instead of comprehensive to save cash. Catastrophic coverage only kicks in for emergency care and hospitalizations, whereas comprehensive coverages includes coverage for prescriptions and visits to the doctor.
Understand that every health insurance policy has loopholes. You need to thoroughly read your policy, so that you understand what it says and are not caught off guard if they say they will not cover something. Be ready to take care of the cost for specific procedures and medications that insurance will not cover.
Do not offer up information if someone from a health insurance agency is discussing the application process. Simply respond to whatever questions they ask. Remember that the insurance companies are trying to make money, and anything you say can and will be used against you, in the form of raising premiums or denial of coverage.
Generic Drugs
It doesn’t matter the type of insurance coverage you currently have, but you will save money if you choose generic drugs. Generic drugs contain the same active ingredients as brand name medications, and are available for most prescription medications.
Because of interstate commerce laws there are regulations on private insurance companies which prevent them from selling insurance across state lines. This means that if you go to a hospital that is out of your state, your policy may not cover it. Because insurance providers are so picky, it is important that you find this information about before going to another state.
You need to review your health insurance policy to see if any prescriptions are covered in the policy. This changes every year, so you should ensure you look over the list yourself when you re-enroll, so that you won’t be shocked when you refill your prescription.
Remember that some insurance companies charge to carry a spouse on your insurance if they already can get health insurance through their job. It might be cheaper to each have separate coverages with your employers. To find out the right way to go, calculate both scenarios.
Pay attention to 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. Make sure to compare prices of medications at different pharmacies. The amount that you will pay for the generic medication may be more at one pharmacy, and less at another.
Health insurance is necessary to prevent huge financial losses if you get extremely ill or severely injured. You could get sick or have an accident. These tips will help you to decide on the correct health insurance policy for you and your family, at the right price.
