Questions to ask your insurance agent. These simple questions will help you to ensure that your agent is being honest with you and help you understand and some of the big differences in the different types of policies in health insurance.
1. Stop Loss- (The maximum out of pocket you will pay before you have 100% coverage for the rest of the year.) Most companies it will be under $5,000. There is a couple of companies that don't actually offer a Stop Loss. Usually the companies will have limits to what the company will pay out but they have no limit to what YOU will pay out. This is the most important think to your insurance policy. I have seen some people get stuck badly with $50,000-$200,000 worth of medical expenses without a good stop loss.
The Question to ask to your Health Insurance agent: What is my maximum out of pocket (stop loss) per year before I have 100% coverage?
2. Deductibles- Some companies will have separate deductibles for different aspects of their policies.(Testing deductible, therapy deductible, chemotherapy coverage, separate accident deductibles etc.) This is where some insurance companies depend on there being big holes so that they don't have to cover things that may otherwise be covered. For example Things that one company may call testing and therapy, may not be considered the same type of procedure by another company. Coz every companies have different specification about their program. If something falls between categories for different deductibles, you will be stuck paying bill for all of it. You want a plan that has ONE DEDUCTIBLE. This way there are no gaps. You reach your one deductible every year, then everything that is covered under your policy will be covered as your policy states. It drastically eliminates holes in your policy.
The Question to ask to your Health Insurance agent: How many deductibles does my policy have?
3. Networks- You want to be in a plan that offers networks. Some companies will offer plans that are good at any doctor, any hospital, anywhere in the country. This is a great selling point but unfortunately, it is also very dangerous. Networks exist for very good reasons. If you have a plan that has big coverage holes in it and you go to a doctor for some reason, anything that is not covered by your policy you will pay 100% of all costs and you will pay 100% full retail price for it. If your plan has holes in it this can be catastrophic financially. Insurance companies and doctors give their customers/patients what is usually called 'Network Pricing". If you go to a network provider with insurance and something is not covered by your plan, in many cases you will still get the big discount that the insurance company would get just because you have insurance. That's a Good News ! This is "Network Pricing". Some companies offer nation wide networks so even if you travel a lot you will never be out of network. This is very important think.
Question to ask to your Health Insurance agent: If my company doesn't use networks and I have medical procedures performed that are not covered by my policy, how much will I have to pay? Do I get a discount because I have insurance? (The correct answer to this is you will have to pay 100% of retail prices. If the company does not use networks, any other answer is either wrong or deceptive.)
4. Coverage per period of confinement- Some companies will have definitions for deductibles as "per period of confinement." Ex: Your plan could have a $1500 deductible but we need to know if it is a yearly deductible or "per period of confinement" deductible. Some companies will list a period of confinement as 90 days, some other 30 days. This would mean that if you are hospitalized for the same thing within 90 days you only have to meet one deductible. However, if 91 days later you have another medical problem, you will then have to hit ANOTHER $1500 deductible.
Well keep your smile and keep healthy always !