Annual Checkup - Health Care Plans

Now is a great time to review your current health care plan.  December and January are the months when most self-employed should take their annual health insurance checkup.  Most plans have annual deductibles.  This means that your deductible starts all over again in January.

I am surprised by how many smart people know so little about how their health insurance plan really works.  Many are confused by the verbage used in the health insurance industry.  What is a deductible?  What is co-insurance?  How does the Wellness Benefit work?

Throughout the week I come across business owners who do not have a clue about whether they have a solid health insurance plan or how the plan actually works, should they need it.  Part of my job is dedicated to helping the consumer understand their plan, the loopholes that are inherent in it, and to prepare some options to consider.

The options typically provide the consumer with better coverage at comparable or less cost.  However, sometimes I find that the consumer doesn't have a health insurance plan, like they thought.  Instead they have a discount plan that has limits upon what is covered.  They thought they had a "catastrophic plan" just to find out that if a tragedy struck they would be left wide open for financial disaster.

It is a very good idea to contact your health insurance agent, and possibly another one or two for comparison, to request an annual insurance checkup.  The use of a broker is a good idea since they are not dedicated to just one company.  If you only have one thing to sell . . . you're going to sell that one thing!

So do yourself a favor and if you are responsible for covering your own health insurance take this time to look around.  Ask questions.  Do a google search for "health insurance complaints".  Check with the Department of Insurance to find out how the company you are with, or are considering, ranks by complaints in your State.

Contact me if you're interested in an annual checkup.  I'll do a lot of the work for you.

Merry Christmas!