How Your Health Insurance Company Can Save You Time and Money
If you haven’t given much thought to your health insurance lately, it might be time to check in. Health insurers know that from groceries to back-to-school supplies, you have a lot of other expenses to worry about.
You might feel wary of using tools or services provided by your insurance company, but you shouldn’t be, because it could save you a lot of money and hassle. And who doesn’t love that?
Medical cost estimator
Knowing how much something will cost before you buy it is standard in any other industry. Health insurers are trying to make that a reality for healthcare. Most of them have a website where members can look up common services and procedures and find out exactly how much to plan for. Some companies, like Select Health, take it a step further and tell you how much you’ll be responsible to pay based on your health plan benefits. If your plan offers this type of tool, it’s one that can save you a big headache (assuming that’s not why you’re headed to the doctor!).
Related: Better Cost Transparency with Our Medical Cost Estimator
Nurse line
Not sure whether your concern warrants a visit to the doctor? Before you pull out your wallet and head to the nearest clinic, find out if your health insurance plan comes with access to a free nurse line. Select Health members can call Intermountain Health Answers 24/7 to get guidance from a registered nurse. So, skip the fear-inducing internet search and talk to a trained professional.
Virtual doctor visits
If you haven’t heard the buzzwords “telehealth” or “telemedicine” by now, chances are you will soon. Think of it as the modern version of a house call: When you are sick, you can you can stay in bed and call a doctor using your smartphone or tablet, all without leaving your pillow fort. The clinicians who staff Intermountain Connect Care, for example, can help you anywhere you happen to be—hiking, traveling, or hunkered down with a sick kid—and they can even prescribe medicine.
Prescription drug home delivery
Home prescription delivery isn’t new, but many people overlook it. Consider the convenience of having exactly what you need sitting on your doorstep after a long day. That’s what Intermountain Home Delivery does for Select Health members. Even better, filling a prescription for 90 days saves you trekking back to the pharmacy and risking purchasing seven other items on your trip into the store. You might also save a little dough by filling a three-month prescription. Talk to your health insurer about your pharmacy benefits to find out if there’s a better option for you.
Related: See a Provider Online Using Connect Care
Care management
A lot of people are nervous to share personal information with their health insurance company. But while wellness-resources/help-with-disease-and-illnesscare managers are employed by insurers, they don’t have any ability (or intention) to raise rates or share anything private you tell them. In fact, they genuinely care about making sure you get your concerns addressed. And if you have a condition like diabetes or COPD, it can make a big difference to have someone knowledgeable on your side. These nurses can help you get the right care, make appointments, and make sure you are getting services you actually need—for the right price. Best of all, this is generally a free service from your health insurer.
If you only read the national headlines, you might not realize that healthcare (and even health insurance) has actually come a long way in the past decade. The balance is tipping toward consumer-friendly, helpful services that can help you keep some of that hard-earned cash where it belongs—in your pocket.
For information on our medical and dental plans, visit selecthealth.org/plans.
