Everyone knows that health is wealth, but what are you going to do when your health is depleting your wealth? Sudden illness and seasonal flu are not just pesky to have but also dig deep in our pockets.
So, what we do is invest in health insurance to have us covered when something happens to us. While it is very helpful, especially if you’re just a sickly fellow, when the bill arrives in the mail, you will be just sick from shock when you find out that your latest procedure was not covered by your insurance.
NORC University of Chicago conducted a survey and they found that more than half of the respondents, 57% to be exact, had that same sentiment. If that happens more frequently as the survey shows, how can one avoid it? Here are some tips to avert unanticipated health bills:
Read Everything
The first thing to do when updating or applying for your health insurance is to read everything, even the finest prints and details, about the package you’re going to get. To avoid assuming and being surprised when the bill appears in your mail, you must do your part and read and understand the plan you are paying for.
Some people just assume that all the medical procedures they undergo can be covered by their insurance. So, you must know which are covered by the insurance in full and which you have to co-pay for.
Also, note the services that are free with your plan and be sure to use it to make most of your insurance.
You must also keep in mind the payment scheme for your health plan. Know how much your deductible will be while on the coverage period. A deductible is a cost you have to pay before your health insurance starts covering for you.
Keep Within Your Insurance’s Network
Health insurance always have their network of hospitals, laboratories, clinics, and other medical providers, so you have to make sure that you only go to those associated with your plan. Once you go to a doctor not under your insurance, then you better expect a medical bill in the future.
What you can do is keep a list of those you know are within your insurance’s network. Before any checkups or medical work, you must inquire if the provider you’re going to is in their network.
Inquire, Inquire, Inquire
If you need to get something done medically, you can ask your insurance which institutions that are within their network can do it cheaper. You can also use websites to compare and estimate the prices of procedures you need to have.
