Health Insurance Info

Each year millions of Americans face life events, varying from the birth of a baby, the onset of a chronic condition or disabling disease, divorce, changing jobs, a business closing, cutting back on staff or reducing the number of hours you work.

You need to know how these and other life events affect your health insurance coverage. Your ability to get and keep health insurance coverage may be of special concern if you or your family members have a history of medical problems. Understanding recent changes in federal law, as well as existing state laws, can help you and your family members when you buy, change or continue health insurance, and inform you of legal health coverage protections.

Tips for Medical Insurance Advocacy.

Here are 7 important tips about the critical things to do when you deal with your private medical insurance company.

1. Gather, read and understand the medical insurance benefit plan book. The book may be called by one of many names - possibly the Summary Plan, the Evidence of Coverage, the Summary of Benefits. We are talking about the booklet that describes in detail your coverage.

2. Organize the paperwork in a way that makes it simple for you to keep track of what has been covered in the past, the important definitions within the benefit plan book for you, and the criteria used for each benefits you need. It is important to create a system that works for you. If you are a person who likes to keep everything in three ring binders, great. If you prefer folders, that is fine too! Just find a way that works for you and stick with it.

3. Write everything down for each item, therapy, or doctor’s visit you want covered, including everyone with whom you have spoken and what was said. Again, organization is extremely important and a detailed phone log, correspondence, insurance documents, and medical information should be kept with the information on the insurance coverage for easy access. If it seems too hard for you, remember that the insurance company records every call with you, including the substance of the call! If there is a dispute later, you must have at least as much information about the sequence and substance of the calls as they do.

4. Start by asking questions. It is much more effective to start by asking questions, rather than starting out with an emotional attitude. It is best to remain calm and positive. Several initial questions to ask include how to read the benefits information, how to obtain the criteria for the medical equipment, or what the definition of medical necessity means in a given instance.

5. Be prepared, firm and focused with a particular request of what you want from the insurance company. Remember that the claims person probably speaks to 50 or more people per day, and most of those calls are from unhappy or angry patients and caregivers. If the claims person doesn’t have the information you need, kindly ask for a supervisor. Do not be deterred from getting the answers you seek.

6. Involve your doctor. Make sure your doctor is in support of the medical care you are seeking and believes it is medically necessary.

A Parent's Video Guide to Medical Insurance

Using the following information as a general guideline, it is important to remember that health insurance laws in your State may provide even greater protections to buy, change, or continue health coverage. Please direct questions about coverage guidelines and protections in your State to the appropriate State health insurance department which can be located online through the National Association of Insurance Commissioners website.

Essential HIPAA information sources:

• The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)
• The Mental Health Parity Act of 1996
• The Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection Act of 1996 (NMHPA)
• The Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 (WHCRA)
• HHS Expands Health Plan Options in Medicare+Choice
• Health Privacy: Know Your Rights

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