How to keep your health insurance from dropping in 2018
The health insurance market is heating up again with insurers slashing rates and new competition making it hard for people to keep their plans.
Here are five ways to keep it from falling in 2018: 1.
Use the state health exchange, which will start in 2019.
If you’re an employee, you can use the state exchange for coverage or a group plan if you’re a couple and share coverage with others.
The federal exchange is still a few years away, so you may need to apply online, but that will happen in the fall.
You’ll also need to set up an employer-sponsored plan and set up the right income level.
To do that, you’ll need a Health Savings Account (HSA), which is an insurance fund created by the federal government and set aside for health care expenses.
If your employer offers health insurance, you should sign up for it and set it up with the health insurance exchange.
2.
Get a referral from your doctor.
The American Academy of Family Physicians says it’s important for patients to be referred to a doctor when their condition or medical conditions warrant.
The organization recommends that you call your doctor about any symptoms or conditions you have that might need to be treated at home, including those related to diabetes, cancer, asthma, heart disease, and even diabetes.
3.
Get preventive screenings.
You should always check in with your doctor or other health care providers before you get treatment for an illness or injury.
You can do this with a mammogram, colonoscopy, CT scan, or other diagnostic test.
The National Cancer Institute says that most preventive screenings will cost you about $300 to $800 a year.
4.
Stay up-to-date on your coverage.
Some insurers have recently begun offering plans with optional annual wellness screenings, such as screening for depression, stress, or anxiety, but you should still check your coverage regularly to see if it’s being upgraded to an annual wellness plan.
If it’s, your plan may not be available for next year.
5.
Get your paperwork in order.
A lot of the costs you incur with your health care plan are not covered by the government.
The IRS requires that you pay your premiums, deductibles, and co-payments.
If the insurance company you’re with has an insurance company that covers these costs, you might need a government tax credit to offset the cost.
You may also have to pay extra fees or taxes for other services, such the prescription drug benefits you get.
This can add up quickly.
For more, see How much is your health plan?
5 things you need to know about your health insurer and how to get started.
Read more: 1 in 6 Americans will be uninsured in 2018, a third lower than a decade ago, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
2 in 10 will pay at least some of their health insurance costs through out the year.
3 in 10 Americans say they don’t pay at all.
4 in 10 people will have to wait at least a year to see a doctor for an emergency or urgent care issue.
5 in 10 may have trouble paying their medical bills for at least two months.
3 million Americans will have health insurance coverage next year and there’s no sign that that number is growing.
The health insurance market is heating up again with insurers slashing rates and new competition making it hard for people…
