Choosing a health-insurance provider is a major decision for you and your family. You want to be adequately covered, but it’s hard to sift through the lingo and terms that potential providers give you. Here are five things you absolutely need from your health-insurance provider to protect your health and those you love most.
- The Ability to Choose
A number of providers do not let their customers choose what physicians to see. The ability to choose with open flexibility will allow you to get second opinions, meet with the best doctors and get the overall care that you need. If your insurance does not cover out of network visits, make sure it will reimburse you for what you spend out of pocket.
- Dental Coverage
A lot of times dental coverage is a separate insurance, but some health-insurance companies are starting to incorporate dental coverage. It's increasingly hard to get dental care, and it is also expensive. At the very least, you want your children to be covered for routine checkups, braces, and early removal of wisdom teeth. Emergency coverage for you and your partner can be useful too.
- Coverage Based On Your Health History
It's hard to plan for the future when it comes to your health and the health of your family. Emergencies and unforeseen problems do happen, however. If you have ever had a condition that requires special care, definitely consider a health plan with more substance. Specialists are not typically included in basic plans, and there may be limits on how many visits allowed per year. Choose something that reflects your needs and potential needs.
- A Fully Accessible List of Fees
No one likes surprises when they go in for a procedure. Being hit with costs you were not prepared to pay hurts your wallet and your health. Make sure you have an easily accessible list of fees and co-pays for every kind of visit and procedure. If you can't find this information, you should be able to make an easy phone call to find out. Your health insurance should disclose this information readily.
- 24-Hour Access To Service Representatives
Emergencies happen in the middle of the night and on holidays. Having access to 24-hour service representatives is incredibly important so that you can get the care you need. Not all health concerns can wait until regular business hours. A representative should be able to tell you if your current needs are covered, discuss your account information and much more. Surprisingly, a lot of providers do not offer this service. Make sure yours does.
