FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM NOVEMBER 9, 2017 • THE QUEENS COURIER 27
health
Millions of Americans will select or
switch their health benefi ts plan during
open enrollment, so now is the time to
prepare for that decision that usually happens
once a year.
More than 70 percent of Americans say
they are prepared for open enrollment,
yet most people struggle to understand
basic health insurance terms, according to
a recent UnitedHealthcare survey. Only 9
percent of survey respondents could successfully
defi ne all four basic health insurance
concepts: plan premium, deductible,
co-insurance and out-of-pocket maximum.
To help people make the most out
of their health benefits, Rebecca
Madsen, chief consumer offi cer of
UnitedHealthcare, off ers the following
fi ve tips.
1. Know your open
enrollment dates
Open enrollment isn’t the same for
everyone, so there are key dates to keep in
mind depending on your situation:
• For the more than 177 million
Americans with employer-provided
coverage, many companies set aside a
two-week period between September
and December when employees can
select health benefi ts for the following
year.
• For the more than 59 million seniors
and other people enrolled in Medicare,
their open enrollment runs from Oct.
15 to Dec. 7 each year.
• Health insurance marketplace or individual
state exchange open enrollment
runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15.
For most people, changes made to coverage
during open enrollment take eff ect
Jan. 1, 2018.
2. Take time to review
your options
Every person or family has unique
health and budget needs. Take the time to
explore your options, and understand the
benefi ts and costs of each health plan so
you can fi nd the coverage that works best
for you and your family members.
• Check if your current coverage still
meets your needs and if your benefi ts
will change next year.
• Determine if the plan is a good fi t for
your budget, and pay attention to more
than just the monthly premium. You
should also understand the other outof
pocket costs, including deductibles,
copays and coinsurance.
• Make sure your medications are covered.
Even if you don’t expect to
change plans, it’s important to ensure
your drugs will still be covered next
year.
3. Make sure your doctor
is in your plan’s care
provider network
Even if you don’t make any changes,
it’s a good idea to ensure that any doctor
you see regularly - or plan to visit in
the coming year - is in your benefi t plan’s
care provider network. If you plan to visit
a doctor or hospital outside of the network,
be sure to understand how your
costs will diff er from a network care provider
because those costs will most likely
be higher.
Also, check if your plan includes 24/7
telehealth services for consultations on
minor health issues. Oft en, telehealth
- online, or virtual, visits with a doctor
over a computer, tablet or mobile
phone - is available to people enrolled
in employer-sponsored health plans and
group Medicare Advantage plans, as well
as select individual Medicare Advantage
plans. Virtual visits may provide convenient
and aff ordable access to care for
minor medical issues, including allergies,
bronchitis and seasonal fl u.
4. Don’t forget about
additional benefi ts
Additional benefi ts such as dental,
vision, accident or critical-illness insurance
are oft en aff ordable options that can
protect you and your family. For people
enrolled in Medicare, many are surprised
to fi nd that Original Medicare doesn’t
cover prescription drugs and most dental,
vision and hearing services. But many
Medicare Advantage plans do, oft en at a
$0 monthly premium beyond the premium
for Original Medicare.
5. Take advantage of
wellness programs.
Some health plans off er discounts on
gym memberships and provide fi nancial
incentives for completing health assessments,
signing up for health coaching
programs, lowering your cholesterol, losing
weight, meeting walking goals or stopping
smoking. Programs are designed to
reward people for making healthy choices
and being more engaged in improving
their health.
Visit UHCOpenEnrollment.com for
articles and videos with information
about health benefi ts and health insurance
terms.
Courtesy BPT
5 steps to
prepare for open
enrollment
MEDICARE
AND MEDICAID
ENROLLMENT