A health insurance plan is an investment in a person or family’s health and well-being, providing the financial support needed for both unexpected and expected medical care and prescription coverage.
A common misconception when it comes to health plans, however, is that it’s only for medical emergencies or when a person is feeling unwell.
“While you are definitely covered for emergencies and when you’re sick, your health plan should mostly be used to help you stay well and healthy,” said Heidi Castaneda, assistant vice president of individual and small employer products at Select Health. “When you use your benefits to stay healthy, you avoid the many stresses, including financial, that come with health emergencies and illnesses.”
It is six months into the year, and Select Health has three recommended healthcare and health insurance steps people should take if they have not already.
- Schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider and focus on preventive care services.
Even if a person is in good health, it’s still important to routinely see a healthcare provider. Most healthy adults don’t need to see their provider every year; most can visit with their provider every three years. However, it’s dependent on their health state, and a primary care provider can recommend how often a person should be scheduling appointments. Make sure not to don’t disregard the benefits of seeing a primary care provider routinely.
Similarly, staying on top of preventive care services is an important factor when focusing on health. Most health plans cover preventive care services, so a person doesn’t have to worry about costs like copays and out-of-pocket expenses.
Both adults and children have a set of recommended care services. To learn more about the specific care service, ask your healthcare provider or health insurer for a breakdown of these services.
Typical healthcare services include cholesterol tests and some cancer screenings for adults, well-baby or well-child visits, autism, depression, and developmental screenings for children.
Preventive care services for both adults and children cover the costs of immunizations for a variety of diseases like influenza, chickenpox, and measles.
- Use prescription drug coverage—including accessing savings available through the health plan.
Prescription medications can quickly become very costly and a strain on family budgets. If a person hasn’t checked in with their insurer or reviewed their benefits structure, they may be missing out on prescription drug coverage discounts that are part of their health plan, helping to save money on each refill.
Most health plans employ pharmacy benefits specialists whose goal is to help members find low-cost medications, such as generics for otherwise high-priced drugs.
Additionally, there may be access to resources such as an online prescription drug lookup tool.
“Select Health members, for example, can use a prescription drug lookup tool that helps them learn if their medication is covered in the formulary and its approximate cost,” said Castaneda. “Prescription drug coverage is only one benefit of having health insurance. Take advantage of learning about and using the discounts available through your health plan to reduce your spending on important medications.”
- Maximize any wellness benefits and rewards that are part of the health plan.
“Does your health plan offer reimbursements for gym memberships or rewards for meeting physical activity or healthy eating goals?” asks Castaneda. “There may be several wellness benefits wrapped into your health plan that you may not be aware of or haven’t even accessed yet.”
“With Select Health, you can get reimbursed for gym memberships, taking 7,000+ steps per day, or other activities you may be doing as part of a daily, weekly, or monthly routine,” said Castaneda. “Different plans have different benefits. You may be surprised to learn all of the benefits your health plan offers.”
Castaneda suggests people Review their health plan to see what wellness benefits are available. “Don’t let these unique benefits go unused because they not only help you start living a healthier lifestyle, but you can save money.”
“Your health insurance is there for you to cover medical care, services, and prescriptions, and help you live a healthy lifestyle for years to come. Start by taking these three steps to utilize your health plan wisely for the remainder of the year,” she said.
For assistance navigating the ever-changing healthcare environment or to understand coverage options and solutions for individual and families, individuals should reach out to their insurance Provider. For Select Health members, help is available online at www.selecthealth.org or call 1-855-442-0220.
Select Health is a not-for-profit subsidiary of Intermountain Health, which together forms a health system committed to going beyond treating illness and injury by encouraging healthy behaviors that can lead to longer, more fulfilling lives.
About Intermountain Health
Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system of 34 hospitals, 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For more information or updates, see https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.
