Health Insurance: Just The Basics, Just The Facts
Maintaining your health is imperative if you want to lead a rich, rewarding life. However, there is so much information on this broad subject that it can be hard to know what to study. That is why this article is a comprehensive compilation of facts and tips designed to help you to lead a healthy lifestyle.
When traveling out of the state or out of the country, check with your health insurance company first to make sure you are covered for illness or injury. Especially if you rely on Medicare for health insurance, you may not have to travel far to be outside your insurance company's network.
If you jump out of planes for a living, or go rock climbing on the weekends, make sure and disclose that when you are purchasing insurance. You will more than likely pay a higher amount for your insurance. However, if you do not tell them that information they can choose not to pay out for your claim if it was a result of those activities. Be honest, even if it will cost you more.
One of the health insurance options that may be offered to you during your employer's open enrollment season is an HMO. You might want to choose this option if you want to keep costs low and are willing to coordinate your care through a primary care physician. Under an HMO, the number of options you have for choosing a provider may be more limited than under a more flexible plan.
When it comes time for re-enrollment with your health care plan, make sure to check and see what if anything has changed. Insurance companies change premiums, co-pays, and covered services on a frequent basis. Make sure you know exactly what has changed so you aren't caught off guard.
Check for grandfather exemptions on your health insurance policy. If you employer has not made any changes to your insurance plan, certain things may be "grandfathered in" and will not be changed because of the health reform law. The materials for your plan will let you know if this has happened or not.
If you are employed at any job in the country, take full advantage of your employer's insurance policy. Because of the recently passed healthcare legislation, every employer now has to offer insurance to employees. It might be a bit costly, but it's far more affordable to go through your employer for coverage.
Don't give out unsolicited information when an health insurance provider calls you during the application process. Simply respond to whatever questions they ask. Anytime that you provide the insurance company with information, they can use it to increase your overall bill, and in some cases they could even deny you coverage.
Before signing documents committing yourself to a certain insurance policy, make sure to read the fine print. There may be details to the policy that the insurance provider did not tell you about. These details could cost you a significant amount of money, and prevent you from getting the proper care.
Before having a baby you should know about how much you will have to pay even with health insurance. If you have a PPO you may end up paying about $1000 or even more for the birth. If you have an HMO your costs will probably be a lot lower. It is best to figure it out before you get pregnant.
When shopping for health insurance, consider how important it is to you to keep your current doctors. Most plans are very specific about which doctors you can use, and the lowest cost options may not include your favorite physicians. It's important to prioritize keeping your current doctor, versus cost of the policy, when making your decision.
If you have questions regarding insurance coverage, you may want to seek out an independent insurance agent. An agent can help you with the enrollment process and also answer any questions you have about private insurance coverage. These agents also know the state laws and regulations which can help if you have any questions.
Being aware of laws applicable to health insurers, is vital to protecting yourself and your coverage. Most of the time, an insurance company cannot cancel coverage or deny payment because of a clerical error on your part, including during the application process. Unfortunately, paperwork and red-tape are part of the health insurance process, but knowing your rights up front, enables you to plow through it with greater confidence.
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.
The cost of your health insurance plan greatly varies by state. Some states such as New York, offer some of the most expensive health plans in the country. States such as New York charge a higher rate because by law they are required to insure everyone regardless of their health.
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.
When getting ready to change switch your health insurance policy to a different one, consider how many unexpected doctor appointments you had for recurring minor medical issues in recent years. These issues are illnesses like the common cold or flu. Find their average cost per year. If you can, list their costs with and without insurance.
One important health insurance habit to cultivate is to always keep your insurance card up-to-date. When your insurance company sends you a new card, replace your old one immediately. An expired insurance card can get you into trouble when you make a claim, possibly even giving your insurer a reason to deny your claim.
As previously stated, knowledge is the key to making good decisions when buying health insurance. Take your time, and don't rush into anything until you're sure. If you follow the tips and tricks in this article then you will have the information and strategies that you check here need to buy insurance with confidence.
Going to the doctor for routine checkups may be a thing of the past
A doctor's office may be one of the last places people want to visit given concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic. That's why more Americans are flocking to virtual health providers like Teladoc.
Teladoc reported after the closing bell Wednesday that its revenue soared 85%, topping Wall Street's forecasts. And the number of virtual doctor visits on the company's platform more than tripled, to nearly 2.8 million.
Shares of Teladoc (TDOC) rose 4% on the news Thursday. The stock is now up nearly 170% this year and is not far from an all-time high. CNN Business spoke with Teladoc CEO Jason Gorevic Thursday morning about the company's results.
Gorevic said that nearly 15% of the company's overall visits during the quarter came from people who said they wouldn't have sought medical care if they actually had to go to a physical office.
Teladoc soars on bet that virtual health is here to stay
Teladoc soars on bet that virtual health is here to stay
He added that the company is seeing increased demand for virtual doctor visits for a variety of medical reasons.
Some patients are seeking medical treatment for more common ailments like the cold and flu.
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/30/investing/teladoc-earnings/index.html
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZiSk2MOF17UdugnGNqOAojsLDrM0Qu-pLwshdGqch_M/edit?usp=sharing