How To Read The Fine Print On A Health Insurance Policy
You cannot go anywhere without somebody giving you their advice about health insurance. You do not know if they are telling you good information or just what they might have picked up on from unknown sources. If you want the real information and want to be your own expert on the subject, this article is for you.
Look at all of the total costs for any policy when choosing health insurance. Co-pays, premiums, and deductibles can be difficult to grasp, so add everything up to see all the costs prior to buying the insurance.
When considering a health care insurance plan from your employer, be sure to check out any possible perks that they may provide. Many times, you may get a discount for being a non-smoker, discounts off of exercise equipment, or discounts for local gyms and recreation centers. You may even qualify for a discount simply by answering a provided questionnaire regarding your health habits.
Never go without health insurance. While a few people never get sick or injured, the chances that you will not get sick, are astronomical. Protect yourself from falling into medical debt by getting insurance, even if it is only the bare minimum. You do not want to be left untreated just because you can't afford it.
Learn how to read your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statements that are provided by your insurer. These statements show exactly what benefits were applied to every healthcare procedure and what you as the patient will be responsible for. This is not the bill however so don't try to pay off of it, your insurer will send you an invoice separately.
If you use prescription medications and are on a health insurance plan, check with your insurer to see if 90-day prescriptions are available in pharmacies. 90-day refills have long been available by mail, but now they are becoming available in local pharmacies - which means you get the full cost benefit of a 90-day prescription (essentially 90 days' worth of drugs for a 30-day payment), without having to wait for the medications to come in the mail. It's a tremendous deal and definitely worth checking out.
Be realistic with your health care costs. If you know you may have difficulty affording a health care policy, you may want to opt for a lower cost one. While it may not offer as much coverage, it is better website than having your insurance lapse because you could not afford to pay your premiums.
Before purchasing health insurance, take your own needs into consideration. You do not want to be stuck paying for health insurance that does not help you with the care you need. For instance, if you plan on starting a family soon, get a health plan that covers pregnancy and delivery costs.
Don't sign anything without reading the fine print. If you find an affordable health insurance plan that works for you, get a full copy of everything before paying for it. Study the entire policy, keeping an eye out for any exceptions or clauses that may deny you coverage. If you don't take the time to do this, it may come back to haunt you in the future.
Purchasing a good health care policy is amongst one of the most important decisions of your life, and you should make an educated choice. Know what each individual policy offers, deductibles, and co-pays. What you don't want is to purchase a policy blindly and find out in the event of an emergency you don't have the coverage you need.
If an insurance rate is too good to be true, look at customer reviews of the company to ensure you're paying for good service. If insurance is cheap, it's likely to be because they have a low number of staff, meaning claims could take forever to go through. You get what you pay for.
Even if you don't personally qualify for Medicaid, apply for all of your family members in case one of them does. This can remove them from your insurance policy and reduce your premiums significantly. Remember to reapply for Medicaid yearly as your financial situation may change or the rules for Medicaid itself may be altered.
Now that you have reviewed the ideas from some insurance professionals, you should have enough information to locate the health insurance plan that is right for you. Whether you are seeking insurance for yourself or your family, there is a plan available to meet your needs that is both affordable and effective.
As Covid-19 hospitalizations spike, some overwhelmed hospitals are rationing care
(CNN)Once again, Americans who don't even have coronavirus are suffering the consequences of Covid-19 patients filling up hospitals.
More than 101,000 people are currently hospitalized with Covid-19, according to data Thursday from the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Now, some patients wanting urgent care won't get it because so many beds are occupied by Covid-19 patients.
"Before Covid, our ICUs were pretty busy. It's because people were having car accidents and heart attacks and needing complicated surgery and going to the ICU afterward," said Dr. Amy Compton-Phillips, chief clinical officer of Providence Health System in Seattle.
An average Covid-19 hospitalization costs Medicare about 150 times more than vaccinating a beneficiary
An average Covid-19 hospitalization costs Medicare about 150 times more than vaccinating a beneficiary
"And those people are being put on the back burner. So anything that's even remotely elective, we're canceling those cases."
In Idaho, the Department of Health and Welfare activated its Crisis Standards of Care in the northern part of the state Tuesday due to "a massive increase in patients with Covid-19 who require hospitalization."
Crisis Standards of Care are "a last resort" that's only activated when "we have exhausted our resources to the point that our health care systems are unable to provide the treatment and care we expect," health department director Dave Jeppesen said.
Gov. Brad Little pleaded for eligible Idahoans to get vaccinated.
"We have reached an unprecedented and unwanted point in the history of our state," the governor said.
In Arkansas, only 23 ICU beds are available, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Wednesday.
He noted 91.5% of hospitalized Covid-19 patients and 90% of Covid-19 deaths are among people who did not get fully vaccinated.
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/09/09/health/us-coronavirus-thursday/index.html
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1epF3asROLV-VbQsc3q4D-KoTPNFSY6wW-ygZRY4xrAo/edit#slide=id.gb305dd1d5e_0_6