The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Confronting fresh health insurance deductibles
The new year often starts harshly for people with high-deductible health insurance.
Many deductibles reset Jan. 1, forcing patients to pay thousands of dollars for care or prescriptions before most insurance coverage starts. Such a financial hit can be brutal for patients with cancer or a chronic condition, some of whom may have just satisfied the previous year’s deductible the month before.
More patients are using taxexempt health savings accounts to set aside money that can soften this early-year crunch. But there are no simple solutions to erase the problem for those without such accounts or the means to stock them.
However, patient advocates see several ways to get relief. Here are some examples.
KNOW THE COVERAGE
It’s hard to plan for a big expense when you don’t understand your financial exposure.
Patients should know the size of their deductible and what they must pay after satisfying it. Insurance plans can require patients to continue footing a portion of their bill for care until they hit their out-of-pocket maximum for the year.
It’s a good idea to review these requirements annually. Double check the coverage of any regular prescription drugs too, in case that has changed.
Also see if your employer can help. Some companies make certain medications like diabetes drugs exempt from high deductibles so patients can continue to receive regular care.
It’s also worth double checking the balances in any health savings or flexible spending accounts you have. There might be some forgotten money in there.
ONLINE RESOURCES
The Internet is full of websites offering help with medical expenses.
JDRF, a nonprofit that funds diabetes research, has corralled more than a dozen links on its website. It lists help from drug and medical device makers, as well as connections to prescription discount cards and patientassistance databases.
The site lists every avenue JDRF is aware of to get people