| When evaluating potential job offers, health | | | | annual physical exams, referrals to and |
| insurance benefits are most likely one of the | | | | treatment by specialists as needed, |
| first issues you inquire about, second only | | | | hospitalization and emergency care, |
| to salary. Indeed, if you have a large family | | | | prescription drug coverage, laboratory work |
| or a history of medical problems, this may be | | | | including blood testing and x-rays, maternity |
| the first thing you ask about. | | | | benefits, prenatal and well-baby visits, |
| | | | vision benefits, and dental care. |
| Of course, health insurance benefits will | | | | |
| vary by health insurance plan, so if you are | | | | Health insurance benefits less commonly |
| unsure about any aspect of your health | | | | include mental health care and treatment, |
| insurance options, it's important to get help | | | | rehabilitation services for drug and alcohol |
| from either your Human Resources department | | | | abuse, home health care, hospice care, |
| at work or a health insurance broker if | | | | physical therapy, and chiropractic care. |
| self-employed or unemployed. It's easy to | | | | |
| make the mistake of assuming that features or | | | | One thing to keep in mind as you evaluate |
| benefits exist when they don't. If your | | | | various health insurance benefits is that the |
| assumptions are wrong, you could be left | | | | primary purpose of any health insurance |
| facing insurmountable medical bills. This is | | | | policy is to protect you from a major |
| especially true for low cost, cheap health | | | | financial loss - not to protect you from |
| insurance. | | | | spending "small" sums of money on office |
| | | | visits. These small expenses can be a burden, |
| In a perfect world, all individual or family | | | | but they generally will not break you. |
| health plans would pay for every health issue | | | | |
| that may arise-pregnancy, blood transfusions, | | | | To conclude, with something as important as |
| sick and well care, minor and major surgery, | | | | health insurance and the impact it can have |
| hospital stays, etc. But the truth is health | | | | on you and your family, be careful not to |
| insurance benefits typically are limited and | | | | make any assumptions. Granted, a typical |
| they seldom will cover 100% of the costs, | | | | health insurance policy is not exactly a |
| which is why it's so important to read the | | | | "beach read", but in the long run it pays to |
| policy's fine print. You've got to know | | | | have a clear understanding of your actual |
| exactly what is and is not actually covered. | | | | benefits. At a minimum, you need to have |
| | | | someone from your Human Resources department |
| The majority of valid health insurance | | | | or your broker if you are purchasing your |
| policies provide a minimum level of coverage | | | | policy as an individual, go through and |
| that typically includes major medical | | | | summarize each section of the plan. Again, |
| expenses such as hospitalization and | | | | this may not be your idea of a good time, but |
| emergency/urgent medical care. Some of the | | | | in the end it just may save you a bundle. |
| most sought after additional benefits include | | | | |