Health Insurance and Preventive Care - How Health Insurance Can Help You Stay Healthy
As we live in the world that is developing at the speed of light, it is crucially important to stay as healthy as possible. It is, therefore, important to understand how health insurance can fit the bit of preventive care. As much as health insurance is commonly considered to be a means of financing for medical expenses, be it preventive or emergency, it also has a large part to play in maintaining health, rather than waiting for sickness to occur. In this article, one will get to discover the foremost understanding of health insurance, a connection between health insurance and preventive health care, and how you will be able to help oneself in improving the health condition.
Understanding the Basics of Health Insurance
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Health insurance is a form of insurance that an individual enters into with an insurance company to have his/her expenses in health facilities paid out. It serves as a cushion, which guarantees that when you require any of the health services you will not be forced to pay so much. Well, have you ever given thought on how health insurance came to be? Alright, let us sail through its past.
The history of health insurance is as old as human civilization, although more advanced forms of insurance were only in existence several centuries ago. For instance, the Asclepius of ancient Greece could offer medical treatment to those who required it from contributions from the affluent. Likewise in the early civilizations, China for instance financed mutual aid societies in which members could pool their money to be used in payment of medical bills.
But moving forward 19th century and that is when the modern concept of health insurance was given a shape. It was during this time that there was emergence of factory system and hence increase in the employment of factory workers thus a need for an affordable health care system. Thus the mutual aid societies and trade unions began providing health care to their members.
Key Components of Health Insurance
When it comes to health insurance, there are several key components to consider:
Premiums: These are the premiums you make to your insurance company to gain your insurance coverage, often on the monthly basis. Preiums play their part to cushion the total cost of healthcare services, then give the insurance company the power to offer the coverages at the required time.
Deductibles: It is a part of the insurance terms and conditions which state how much a policy holder has to spend on treatment before insurance funds start covering the expenses. It serves as a tool that will enable the sharing of the price to be incurred when seeking treatment.
Co-pays: Co-payments are predetermined charges made by insurance companies that are required from the insured for particular services like, doctor’s visit or prescription drugs. Assists in meeting part of the cost of the service, while the insurance company will meet the rest of the expenses.
Networks: Managed care health insurance plans have what is referred to as ’parade of preferred providers’ including physicians, hospitals and other facilities. To cut on the total cost to you, it is preferred to remain within the confines of the insurance company’s network since the providers have already negotiated with the insurance company on the rates.
Types of Health Insurance Plans
There are different types of health insurance plans available, including:
- Health Maintenance Organization (HMO): HMO plans demand that pre-selected doctors oversee your health and only give recommendations on specialists when needed. This model focuses on primary care and efficiency of costs.
- Preferred Provider Organization (PPO): They may be referred to as PPO plans because they give the policyholder a wider choice regarding the physician or health-care facility serving their needs, without requiring the recommendation of a primary-care physician. Usually, the premiums of PPO plans are higher than HMO plans, but the health care choices that are available to the clients.
- Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO): An EPO is almost similar to an HMO without precoordinated PCP. This means the patient is at liberty to attend any specialist of his own choice practicing in a network hospital without learning the recommendation of a doctor but out of network care usually is not covered.
- Point of Service (POS): POS plans include system aspects of the HMO as well as PPO but offer flexibilities higher than that of an HMO but like an HMO, require a primary care physician. If you choose a POS plan you get exclusivity for out-of- network providers although at a higher cost.
As it has been described, health insurance has a long colorful history and is one of the essential components of Providing its essential necessity has been suggested by history itself. Knowledge of its parts and the various types of plans will also assist one in decision making the moment he or she is choosing a plan for the family.
The Link Between Health Insurance and Preventive Care
It is literally the practice of making changes in your lifestyle and personal to avoid getting ill with a condition which may be lifelong. Services such as well check up, immunizations, preventive screen tests, and certain other clinical preventive services. Even though most people conceive health insurance as something that pays for unexpected medical bills, it is also instrumental in preventive care.
The Role of Health Insurance in Preventive Care
Employer groups understand that early intervention is cheaper than prolonged treatment and hence the need to enhance preventive care to lower the incidence of diseases that have huge health bills. Coercive measure of making preventive service popular among people is that insurance plans for these services make them cost-free for the insurer.
These services are taken care of by the insurance companies from the pocket of the health care consumers in a bid to increase utilization of preventive health check ups. It has also the advantage of being preventive rather than remedial, which is good not only for the individual but also for the overall system of healthcare delivery. Preventive care also gives a checking to one’s health and attend to the matters before the health problem dig deep in such a way that it will make the treatment to be very expensive.
Preventive Healthcare services available to Health Insurance consumers
However it is worthy of note that the extent of coverage of the preventive services may dependent on the plan that an individual is affiliated to. Before attending for a preventive service it is important to check the terms and conditions of your policy to know what treatments and services are included and whether there are certain prerequisites or restrictions, likewise whether it is necessary to see an approved practitioner to receive the full entitlements.
Further, some of the health insurance plans may contain other features that provide benefits for such maximum exclusions of the insured persons in the preventive risks. Such incentives can begin with lower premium or deductible rates, all the up to membership to gyms, healthy eating, and other relevant programs. They not only address the concepts of preventative care but also supports the people to change their behavior towards a healthier way.
Bear in mind, early health maintenance not only have an impact on one’s general well-being but also to identify diseases in its affordable phase. This means that you as a client can take full advantage of your health insurance plan to embrace an ounce of prevention that is better than a pound of cure.
How Health Insurance Promotes Wellness
Employee wellness benefits are a significant part of medical coverage alternatives. These benefits concentrate on encouraging the adoption of positive behaviours and the provision of favourable environments that enhance the well-being of the people’s bodies and minds. Here are some ways health insurance promotes wellness:Here are some ways health insurance promotes wellness:
Wellness Benefits of Health Insurance
It is to be noted that in many plans of health insurance there are provisions for wellness and also incentives that are provided to the people who follow a healthy lifestyle. Such programs are fitness memberships, nutrition services, smoking cessation services, stress counselling services, and others. Offering such benefits and support, health insurance companies attempt to help people to become responsible for their health and the choices they make.
Health Insurance and Chronic Disease Management
In the context of chronic disease, most of which are depicted in the following emerging diseases, health insurance is central. Individuals with chronic diseases receive required medical services and treatments and required medications and specialized care with complete coverage. It assists people with the condition to avoid development of other disorders by closely monitoring their health status and improve on the quality of lives.
Health Insurance for Preventive Services
Understanding Your Health Insurance Policy
Getting the Most out of Your Heath Insurance
- Ensure that you take your usual health check ups and screening when advised by your doctor.
- Select AFEP doctors, clinics, and hospitals to ensure that you do not make higher out of pocket payments.
- Use the user guide to access any wellness benefits offered through your health insurance company.
- Make sure to keep records of your preventive care history and pass copy of them to your healthcare provider.
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