Can Health Insurance Come With Perks?

Did you know that there is more to choosing the right health insurance policy than just the basics, like considering premiums, deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance? More and more, health insurers are providing extra "perks" to give themselves the edge over their competition and attract more customers.

​These extras can give the policyholder the edge in many situations. Knowing which company will offer the best benefits and coverage for your family is a difficult fact to come by. Here are some side benefits that you can check with your prospective list of companies to make sure they have these:

24/7 Nurse Advice Lines
We all dread when one of the people we live with starts with a cough or sniffle. It’s a huge predicament for most people on judging the appropriate times for going to the doctor, the ER, or just fighting a common cold with some over the counter medication. Some people get so overwhelmed with having this decision on their shoulders that most health insurance companies created a 24/7 hotline to take that burden off their clients. If you’re a policyholder, you can call this hotline at any time and get that second opinion you’ve been searching for without the drastic assumptions that come with Google searching health symptoms.

Health & Wellness Coaches
According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies and hss.gov “Obesity-related illness, including chronic disease, disability, and death, is estimated to carry an annual cost of $190.2 billion.”

With policyholders who make healthier choices in their life making fewer claims, health insurers have been going that extra mile to offer free health and wellness coaching. These programs usually include: exercise and dietary advice, free HSA benefits, talking on the phone with a health coach regularly, receiving literature, and accessing online information targeting common health and wellness problems. Living a fully healthy life has become very difficult with the temptations of processed foods and electronic entertainment; but insurers are trying to help you with these programs to make these healthy life choices that much more accessible.

Health Insurance Discounts, Add-ons, & Freebies!
Some health products are legally required by the Affordable Care Act to be provided by your insurer. For example, this includes breast pumps and breastfeeding counseling. But other benefits like diabetic test kits, crutches, or a wheelchair after an accident with some companies are 100% covered.

Also, look for discounted or free gym memberships and for grocery savings cards that gain discounts on organic and health foods at participating stores. These sorts of benefits may not seem to make sense at first, but when you think about it, people who eat healthier and work out regularly at the gym are statistically less likely to need frequent high-cost health care services. So there's always a connection to health, and that's why such discounts make sense after all.

Talk To An Experienced Health Insurance Agent Today!
If you are unsure of whether it makes sense to switch health insurance this year, don't delay needlessly or just stick with your current policy for lack of information on your full range of options.

Talking with an experienced insurance agent or broker can make a huge difference! They will be able to bring all the relevant data to your attention in short space of time and "translate" any obscure insurance terms so you know exactly what you're looking at.

If you want to take advantage of the policy that gives you and your loved ones the biggest possible perks (and the most relevant ones), without sacrificing basic benefits in the process, contact Summerlin Benefits Consulting today for a free health insurance consultation with an industry expert!