Many people deal with chronic conditions, which can mean they have expensive and complex medical needs. There are several features you should consider when selecting an insurance plan.
Deductibles
The first issue people face when choosing health insurance is whether they should choose a high or low-deductible plan. Typically, the benefit of choosing a high-deductible plan is that the monthly premiums are lower. This works well for people with average medical needs, but when you have complex needs, it is beneficial to choose a low-deductible plan, although your monthly premiums will be higher. Although you will pay a higher monthly premium, your monthly payment is consistent and you will meet your deductible faster. People with complex medical needs may see many doctors each month, especially specialists, and have frequent tests and prescriptions each month. When you have significant health needs, it is also more likely you will have urgent problems that could require the emergency room or hospitalization. You want these costly incidents covered by your insurance as soon as possible.
Supplemental Insurance
Another critical aspect when choosing health insurance is choosing one that has dental, vision, and hearing coverage, or the ability to add this coverage to your insurance. People with significant medical needs are more likely to have problems with their teeth and vision, and will need regular checkups each year. Generally, add-on plans to cover these services are fairly inexpensive. In addition to exams, they often cover the cost of eyewear and certain types of dental procedures, such as fillings and extractions. If you are older or already face significant problems with your teeth or hearing, you will need to consider how much your supplemental insurance will help you with dentures or hearing aids.
Extra Benefits
Many insurance companies have extra benefits when people choose their particular company for insurance. These extra benefits might make a difference in the insurance you choose. Some companies provide their customers with assistive devices each year or an air filtration system if they have a respiratory condition. Another important benefit can be free rides to your doctor's appointments. After discharge from a hospital stay, your insurer may give you free meals for a week after your discharge as a way of assisting you in the healing process. Many of these extra benefits can be particularly important for people on a tight budget or those who may not have friends or family available for assistance.
When you have complex medical needs, choosing health insurance can be harder. You need to consider your monthly premium, but you also need to determine how much of your needs will be covered by the plan you choose. Speak to a medical insurance service for assistance.