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It Is Important To Comparison Shop When Getting Health Insurance

Health insurance is a necessity. Anything can happen to anyone at anytime. You could be doing a simple rearrangement of furniture and end up with a hernia in one breath. Sometimes, finding the right policy is difficult, but this article will offer some advice on how to sift through all of the options.

Living in the suburbs can have a significant impact on health insurance savings. The cost of medical care is generally lower in areas of lower population. Dense populations tend to put a strain on the health care facilities available and thereby drive the cost up. Living in a suburban area can not only reduce the cost but also increase the quality of care

When considering a health care insurance plan from your employer, take a good look at your current plan and consider items that you might be able to change. You may be currently paying for more coverage than needed, or certain items that may now be obsolete. Take time to consider each option, what it means to you, and how much it is worth to have included in your 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.

If you like your current doctor and you do not want to change providers then you need to make sure that you find out whether he or she is one of the network providers before signing up with any company. Many health insurance companies will not cover you if you see a doctor that is out of the network.

Be prepared for any loopholes in your health insurance plan. Make sure you read the policy thoroughly, if you do not you may be shocked to learn that your insurance doesn't cover a visit or procedure. Make sure you are ready to pay for medical expenses that are not covered, such as certain medications that can come out of pocket.

If you are in college and needing health insurance, consider your options carefully. New legislation allows college students to remain on their parents policy until the age of 26. This isn't always the best option though, as sometimes colleges and alumni organizations offer low cost health insurance to students.

Some states offer lower cost health insurance options if you meet certain income requirements. They are worth checking out if you're on a budget. These plans can be especially helpful for independent contractors who need to insure their family. Contact your local insurance read more agent, or even your local Social Services office, to find out more.

Always remember to seek new coverage before your current policy expires. You do not want to be in a rush when looking for new health insurance, which you may be if you allow your current policy to lapse. Start searching about a month beforehand, to give yourself plenty of time to make a decision.

Low priced health insurance plans usually cover a portion of major health problems and do not cover preventative treatment. Expensive plans cover almost every health need you may have. To decide on the best plan, figure out what your family's current needs are and how much you can afford.

When moving states, check with the state's insurance website to see what the rules are there and which companies are offering health insurance. You should also find out if the state offers a discount insurance option to low-income families, if you qualify. Don't forget to ask your current insurer if your coverage will go with you if you move!

You can contribute towards your Health Spending Account while you are enrolled in COBRA, and that will allow you to withdraw from it to cover your medical spending. This can help you later as you can use your HSA to pay your premiums, so think to the future while you can afford to.

In conclusion, there is a lot to learn about health insurance and hopefully, you were able to follow without any issue. Just follow the information that was provided and you should either be able to further solidify what you already know or apply it in a way that you had never considered before.

The Real Costs of Seeking Care for COVID-19 Vary Across and Within Major U.S. Cities
Castlight Health's COVID-19 Cost Analysis Finds Outpatient Evaluation Costs Vary Widely Depending on Severity of Symptoms, Geography, and Provider Type

"While the test for COVID-19 may be made available at no cost, individuals seeking care for suspected COVID-19 may be faced with other significant out-of-pocket costs for that care. Sadly, those bills may be coming right as many Americans are losing their paychecks, creating real affordability of care issues," said Maeve O'Meara, CEO of Castlight Health. "Costs vary widely across cities in the U.S., within cities, and depending on the site of care. During this public health emergency, it is more important than ever that people have the tools they need to find high quality care in a timely and affordable manner."

Although the coronavirus relief measures signed by the President in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act have directed private health plans to waive the cost of the specific coronavirus test and visit associated with it, people who are symptomatic and seek care may be responsible for other costs required for an evaluation for COVID-19. These could include influenza testing, chest x-rays, and bacterial, viral, or blood culture tests. These costs can add up quickly, particularly for the 27.5 million people with no insurance or those who have high-deductible health plans and will pay for services out-of-pocket.

The severity of COVID-19 varies widely, from mild cough and fever, to chest pains and shortness of breath, which can drastically affect the necessary treatment, need for hospitalization, and associated costs.

Most notably, the analysis found that:

Within a given U.S. city, average prices vary greatly for patients exhibiting standard COVID-19 symptoms including fever, cough, and shortness of breath:

In Los Angeles, the cost for a primary care visit and standard lab testing ranges from $304 to $4447—roughly a 14-fold difference.

In Dallas, the cost for the same services ranges from $193 to $4308—a 22-fold difference.

Similarly, in Miami, these services range in cost from $354 to $5729—a 16-fold difference.

Costs also vary widely depending on the provider type or site of care:

Even without symptoms severe enough to warrant further imaging or lab testing, a visit to evaluate respiratory symptoms can cost someone living in the New York metro area an average of $79 for a telehealth visit, $235 for a primary care visit, $352 for an urgent care visit, and $2,321 for an ER visit.

In Miami, patients can expect costs for evaluating symptoms to average $79 for using telehealth as their entry point, $189 for visits through a primary care provider, $483 for visits through an urgent care provider, and $1,524 if they enter the system through the ER.

"During this incredibly stressful pandemic outbreak, it is critical that people have a clear understanding of the care they need, and how much that care is likely to cost," said Dena Bravata, MD, MS, Castlight Advisor and former Senior Scholar at the Stanford Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research. "Castlight's COVID-19 Cost Analysis sheds light on the vastly different costs patients seeking care associated with COVID-19 will see depending on where they live, and where they choose to receive care."

Methodology

The primary source of data used for this analysis is a subset of 2.5 billion de-identified medical claims for primary care, urgent care, emergency room, lab tests, and x-ray supplemented with:

Provider directory data (e.g., which doctors provide which type of care).

Provider rate sheets.

Publicly available data.

The costs provided are for a member in their deductible phase seeing in-network providers. The ranges provided are for the 5th to the 95th percentile of costs in that metropolitan region.

The components of an evaluation for a patient seeking care associated with COVID-19 depend on their symptom severity and site of care. The procedures and services we included are:

Site of care: telehealth visit, primary care visit, urgent care visit, ER visit.

Care for moderate COVID-19 symptoms: initial cost of a provider visit, influenza test, sputum culture and sensitivity, blood culture and sensitivity, complete blood count, and comprehensive metabolic panel.

Care for severe COVID-19 symptoms: initial cost of a provider visit, all lab tests listed above, and a chest x-ray.

Click here to download the full report.

About Castlight Health

Castlight is on a mission to make it as easy as humanly possible for its users to navigate the healthcare system and live happier, healthier, more productive lives. Our health navigation platform connects hundreds of health vendors, benefits resources, and plan designs into one comprehensive health and wellbeing experience. We guide individuals—based on their unique profile—to the best resources available to them, whether they are healthy, chronically ill, or actively seeking medical care. Castlight transforms the employee benefit experience into a deeply personalized, yet simple, guided one, empowering better-informed patient decisions to unlock better healthcare outcomes and maximizing return on healthcare investments.

For more information visit www.castlighthealth.com. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn and Like us on Facebook.

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