Why Health Insurance May Be More Important Than You Think: 10 Questions You Must Ask Before Buying

If you have ever gone to the doctor or the hospital, you know how much the bills can affect you. They are one of the leading causes of bankruptcies worldwide. If you do not have a good health insurance plan, you will soon discover how much money you have to fork over to pay for your visits. An insurance plan can alleviate this cost and, depending upon your coverage plan, could leave you owing next to nothing for the entire visit. 

Even if you have your own plan in place, you may want to go over the 10 questions you must ask before buying a policy. 

While health insurance is a critical aspect of maintaining your health, it’s also important to consider how you’ll get to and from medical appointments, especially if you’re dealing with a non-emergency situation. Knowing the ‘Key Features of a Non-Emergency Medical Transport Van can help you make an informed decision about your transportation options.

•  What Type Of Plan Is It? This is important to know before you try and go to the doctor because there are three different kinds to choose from.

• Ambulance Cover – As the name suggests, this type of coverage will pay for your transportation needs in an ambulance in case of an emergency.
• Hospital Coverage – Helps cover your costs of hospital visits.
• Extras – This is the part of the insurance plan that covers the extra things, such as vision and hearing visits. 

• How Much Will You Pay? This will depend a lot upon the level of coverage that you are paying for. How much out-of-pocket expenses do you opt for, and what types of plans do you want.

• Can I Keep My Current Doctors? It can take a while to get comfortable with the doctors you must deal with, so it is crucial that you be able to keep the same ones.

• What Level Of Pharmacy Medications Are Covered? Almost everything that involves a doctor’s visit will include medications of some kind. You need to know what percentage is covered so you know how much must come from your pocket at the pharmacy.

• Are Routine Exams Covered? Part of life is going to the doctor regularly just to avoid any medical issues that may be creeping up. You need an iSelect health insurance policy that helps cover these costs; otherwise, they could add up fast.

• Are Pre-Existing Conditions Covered? If you currently have some medical conditions, you need to find out if they will be covered. Some policies will exclude them from coverage, while others will make you wait a decent length of time before the coverage will kick in.

• Do I Need Pre Authorized To Visit The Emergency Room? You may be required to get the OK from your doctor’s office or the person on call before you go into the ER.

• Am I Covered If I Go Out Of The Area? You should be covered as long as you are in the country in which you have the policy, but you need to verify to see if they have any distance limitations. If you travel outside your country, you should get a travel insurance policy covering any medical needs that may arise.

• Are There Any Extra Benefits? You should read your contract to find out if you have any extra benefits or perks that go along with your medical plan.

• How Are Claims Processed? Does your insurer have an easy access line to get ahold of customer service, and do they pay claims or try to fight them? 

You may have some of your own questions to ask your insurance carrier, which is fine. If you have a question, ask it. Remember that the only dumb question is the one you don’t ask. If the agent has issues answering you, it may be time to consider a new carrier. It will only be worse when an emergency arises, and you try to get some help.