How to Compare Health Insurance Policies

Buying a health insurance policy is no longer a task that can be done without any research as the market has been flooded with various kinds of health insurance policies. However, not all of these policies will actually cater to your health insurance needs. Therefore, you should be able to compare between such policies before deciding on the best health insurance policy for your requirements. Consumer Reports recommends comparing insurance policies. This article will provide you with a strategy to compare between multiple health insurance policies. However, in some instances you may not have much of an option depending on who contributes to your insurance premium.

Doctor of your choice

Convenience and accessibility of a doctor is a foremost consideration for anyone who seeks a useful insurance policy. In this regard, you should find out whether the insurance policies that you are considering cover your visit to your regular doctor. In some instances, if the said doctor is not included in the network of doctors covered by the insurance policy, you may not be able to claim for the expenses when you visit your family doctor. In such instances, you may have to select another doctor from the network of doctors covered by the policy. In certain other instances, the insurance policy may only be covering only part of the cost when you visit a doctor outside from their network. Thus, knowing whether you will be able to visit your favorite doctor is important when choosing a new health insurance policy.

Coverage for existing illnesses

Coverage for existing illnesses is another important consideration when you move to a new insurance plan. With the enactment of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, if you join a new insurance scheme, you are entitled for ‘existing illness coverage’ if another insurance policy has covered the same in the last 12 months. However, there may be conditional clauses of various nature that may change from one policy to another and seeking information regarding whether your previous illnesses will be covered in your new policy is a must for anyone who has such long-standing illnesses.

Screening tests, checkups and prescription drugs

Coverage for screening and for prescription drugs are two other important areas that you need to consider when comparing multiple health insurance policies. Some policies may not cover any screening process while certain other insurance coverage’s may promote such screening processes on a yearly basis. Inclusion of screening for various illnesses and for physical fitness is a useful provision of your health insurance policy; it should therefore be considered at all times when comparing between policies. Similarly, if you are a person who takes prescription drugs, it is necessary for you to find out whether such purchases are covered by the policy you select.

The deductibles and the limits

The amount of deductibles that you may have to pay before the insurance company takes care of your bill is another important consideration when comparing different health insurance plans. In some instances, certain policies may include a yearly cap or a lifetime cap for money payable and therefore should be known and compared before making a selection.

Lastly, all health insurance policies will have their own inclusions and exclusions list that is worth reading. In certain instances, things that you would believe to be included in the policy may actually be left out without even being considered. Thus, it is highly important for you to be clear about the inclusions and the exclusions of the policy along with any other clauses, which will affect the way you would usually obtain the health care services.