Nothing is more traumatic than an emergency hospital visit.
As the patient or a loved one of the patient, a trip to the ER can really shake your foundation.
It’s not over once the dust has settled, however. While you or your loved one is recovering, hospital bills start coming in the mail. Not one, but several.
With good health care, this might not be so bad. Without it, it could just be the worst part of the whole nightmare.
Health care is the number one cause of bankruptcy in America!
Learn how to save big on good health care.
Get an Insurance Agent
If you are looking to save money on good health care, look into getting an insurance agent. Finding good health insurance is their job, they’re good at it. There are more benefits too!
A Personal Touch
Developing a professional relationship with an insurance agent can save you time, stress, and money.
An insurance agent will get to know you and your family. They learn to understand your lifestyle and your insurance needs.
Options
Talking to an insurance agent can help you understand your options. They will help you find the right coverage at the right price.
Knowledge
An insurance agent knows more than you. They know the ups, downs, ins, and outs of insurance.
They have seen it all and have insured it all.
Advice
Along with providing knowledge, insurance agents will also be there to give you sound advice.
An agent can walk hand in hand with you and help you find the right coverage, step by step.
Don’t Pick the First Plan You See
Searching for health insurance is not a riveting experience. Therefore, most people are ok with settling with the first insurance plan they find. This will inevitably result in spending way too much money on insurance!
Shop around, spend the extra time finding the right insurance policy for you and your budget.
But don’t stop there! You should assess your insurance needs and shop around for better deals every year!
Consider Getting Insurance Through Your Place of Employment
If you are a full-time employee, odds are, the company you works for provides some form of health care.
Large companies that have more than 50 employees on staff are required to provide health insurance through the company.
Often, the majority of employees decide to be covered under their company’s policy. However, there are those who choose to find coverage away from the umbrella of their employers.
Look deeply into the health care policies your employer offers to determine if it is right for you, but shop around first!
Parents
Young people under the age of 26 have the option to stay on their parent’s insurance plan under the Affordable Care Act.
The wonderful thing about this policy is that there aren’t very many limiting factors for young adults to remain under their parents’ plan.
With the Affordable Care Act, young people can find good health care to get them through the beginning of adulthood.
Consider a Health Matching Account
While health matching accounts sound like they might be a scam, they aren’t.
If you’re unfamiliar, a health matching account, or HMA, is a special account in which you deposit money with an eventual target goal amount.
Once you have deposited half of your target goal, the other half becomes available to you in the event that health care is necessary.
Find out more about health matching accounts and how they can save you money on good health care!
Consider In-Network Providers
An in-network provider is a hospital, doctor, therapist, or other health specialist contracted with an insurance company. Think of them as affiliates.
There are a few types of in-network plans you can choose from.
Preferred Provider Organizations
Preferred Provider Organizations, or PPOs, allow you to use whomever you like as a care provider. However, your insurance policy will cover more or less depending on if they are contracted with the care provider or not.
Health Maintenance Organizations
Health Maintenance Organizations, or HMOs, are fairly strict plans that require you to use certain care providers to be covered. If you use a provider outside of the network, even in emergency situations, you will find yourself completely liable for all costs.
Exclusive Provider Organizations
Exclusive Provider Organizations, or EPOs, also limit your coverage to specific care providers. However, EPOs allow leniency in the event of an emergency.
Point of Service Plans
Point of Service Plans, or POS Plans, allow coverage for care providers in and out of the network. To adhere to the guidelines of a POS Plan, you must pick a primary doctor within the network. From there, he or she can refer you to in-network and out-network specialist.
However, providers out of your network will cost you more money out of pocket.
Make Personal Choices That Will Save You Money on Good Health Care
Finally, health care providers will often grant discounts on policies based on healthy lifestyles and lack of unhealthy habits.
Here are some key lifestyle factors that can lower health care costs.
Stop Using Tobacco
Everyone knows cigarettes, and chewing tobacco causes cancer, including insurance companies.
More or less, they view tobacco use as a pre-existing condition, as indulging is such behaviors is like playing Russian Roulette.
If you quit smoking for the sake of your insurance costs, however, look deeper into your policy. Some insurance companies won’t actually lower your costs for a couple of years.
Get Married
You probably shouldn’t get married just to get good health care on the cheap, but being married does lower your costs.
Although studies are inconclusive, insurance companies are convinced that married people are healthier and live longer than single people. Being married can save you significant cash.
Change Jobs
Changing jobs may not be a viable option, but your insurance provider may charge you more if your job is dangerous.
If you want cheaper insurance, it may be time to put down the chainsaw and pick up a laptop.
Insurance Companies Are Businesses
Whether they offer good health care or not, at the end of the day, an insurance company is a business. They are in it for the money.
If you live a hazardous and unhealthy lifestyle, have pre-existing conditions, or have a family history of health issues, you are a high-risk client. Insurance companies know you will cost them money, so they will charge you more.
For more lifestyle advice and tips, check out our blog!
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