Author Archives: The Simplee Team

What does “Deductible Waived” on Co-Pays Mean (And Is It a Good Thing)?

Posted on by The Simplee Team
Reply

When you see what your health plan’s co-pays are, it’s easy to tell how much you’d pay for a doctor’s visit, lab test, or x-ray. But what does it mean when the “Deductible is Waived” for the co-pay? And will this cost you more or less in the end?

Normally, you are responsible for paying your full deductible before your insurance pays anything towards your health care. However, some plans will waive the deductible for certain services, usually office visits or emergency care if you’re admitted to a hospital.

Let’s say your co-pay for a doctor’s visit is $25 and your deductible is $1,500. If the doctor charges $200 for a visit, you would normally pay the $200 yourself and it would be applied to your deductible. If the co-pay is waived, you’ll just pay $25.

 

Sounds like a good deal right?

Maybe, maybe not. Waived co-pays can be a great deal if you are pretty healthy and do not expect to meet your deductible. They’ll allow you to skip over paying the full charge and only be responsible for the co-pay. They can also save you a lot of money if you are ever admitted to a hospital from the emergency department.

But if you would meet your deductible anyway, this feature doesn’t really save you money in the end. It might actually drag out how long it would take you to meet your deductible, just shifting the out-of-pocket cost to other services. Or even worse, some plans will not apply that $25 co-pay you just paid to your deductible, so you won’t get credit for the money you just spent.

 

And keep in mind that many preventive care benefits are 100% covered anyway, regardless of whether you met your deductible.

So your best bet? Enjoy the waiver benefit if you have it. But be wary of paying a higher premium for the feature if you use a lot of health services–it might not be worth the cost. And always check on exactly what costs are applied to your deductible if you expect to meet it!

 

5 Ways You Could Benefit from the Health Insurance Exchanges

Posted on by The Simplee Team
Reply

The news is everywhere about the insurance exchanges! With all the hype, what should you know? And should you care?

With over 10 million people expected to be eligible for the exchanges, there’s actually a good chance that you should care… The exchanges will be online marketplace where individuals or employees of small businesses can go to compare and buy health insurance. Enrollment starts October 2013 and the plans go live January 2014.

And you’ll most likely benefit the most from them if…

1. You’re uninsured

If you’re shopping for insurance on a federal or state exchange, you can’t be denied health insurance because of your medical history. The plans are guaranteed issue for anyone (as long as you’re a US citizen or legal US resident). You’ll also be protected from the plan suddenly canceling the plan on you if they discover anything about your health history later on.

2. You’re currently paying a ton for your health care

If you’re insured but sinking half your paycheck into your health insurance, the good news is that pricing rules on the exchanges will keep premiums in check. There are only a few ways premiums will be allowed to vary:

  • Overall: the most expensive plan can only be 4.5 times the cost of the least pricey plan
  • By age: the price for older members can only be three times that of younger members
  • By geography
  • By family size

Sliding scale subsidies will also be available depending on your income. And they’re pretty generous: You’ll qualify if your income is up to four times the poverty line (about $45,000 for an individual). And the average annual subsidy is expected to be $4,600 in 2014.

3. You’re older but not old enough for Medicare

Both guaranteed issue and the premium pricing rules work out really well for you if you are older but haven’t quite reached 65. This is typically the most difficult age group to be in for finding affordable insurance. Health plans on the exchanges will have to sell you coverage and it can only be three times the price for younger members (today, that ratio is much more extreme).

4. You have really high medical costs

Starting in 2014, annual and lifetime limits on coverage will no longer be allowed by any health plan. Right now, it’s easy to reach one of these limits if you have ongoing health issues, which leaves you without coverage exactly when you need it. But plans will soon be banned from setting any of these limits.

5. You get confused comparing health plans

All plans sold on the exchanges will be standardized, with the goal of making them easy to compare. There will be four tiers of plans, with Bronze plans being the most basic, and Platinum the most comprehensive (and Silver and Gold in between). And all plans will have to cover a list of Essential Health Benefits so there should be no big surprises about what’s covered and what’s not.

Why Did my Health Insurance Deny My Claim!?

Posted on by The Simplee Team
Reply

No! You expected your health insurance to cover a service, and then you get the dreaded letter that it’s been denied. Why do claims get denied and when does it actually matter (that’s right, sometimes it doesn’t matter)?

Your health plan might refuse to pay for a service or treatment you received for many reasons. It’s good to know whether it was denied because of the services themselves OR because of how your provider submitted it. Why is this important? Because in the first case, you’ll probably be responsible for paying the claim. In the second, you won’t be.

Here are some common reasons claims get denied where you could be responsible:

  • You didn’t get a referral or prior authorization when it was required
  • The service isn’t covered by your plan
  • You already used up your benefits for the service (like a cap on the number of physical therapy visits per year)
  • You went out of network when you have an HMO
  • Your insurance wasn’t effective at the time of the service

Don’t confuse these situations with those where a claim (or a portion of a claim) was denied because of how your provider submitted it to your insurance. This happens surprisingly frequently.  It might be that:

  • Your doctor didn’t submit the right billing code to your insurance plan
  • Your doctor didn’t submit the claim in the timeframe your insurance required
  • The service was actually covered as part of another claim or set of services
  • The claim is a duplicate that was already paid

You might see these things show up on your EoBs, or Explanation of Benefits–the statements you get from your health plan just informing you about your coverage (the ones that say “This is Not a Bill”). Just know that if your provider made a mistake submitting a claim, or your insurer found that it had already been paid for, you’re not responsible!

So before you panic, look into the reason for the denial. And if you believe you were billed unfairly for the cost, you can always appeal the decision. All health plans have to honor a process of reviewing claim appeals from their members. 

 

 

Saving Money with the FSA Grace Period

Posted on by The Simplee Team
Reply

Did you miss out on spending down your FSA last year?

Hold on, all might not be lost. FSAs and HRAs are “Use it or lose it” accounts, meaning if you do not spend the funds by the end of your plan year, the money disappears.

But did you know that some employers have a grace period for FSA and HRA spending? Federal tax regulations allow them to extend the time for incurring expenses by 2 and ½ months into the new year. The extension is optional (not all employers have to offer it), but if you do have the opportunity, it’s a great way to make sure you don’t lose any of the money you’ve already set aside for medical expenses.

How do I know if I have a grace period?
Talk to your HR Department or benefits administrator. Remember, the grace period must be a benefit they have established in advance–it’s not a last minute change they can just throw in!

What if I don’t have any funds left in last year’s FSA or HRA?
If you’ve already spent down your 2012 FSA or HRA, the grace period doesn’t affect you. You’ll just continue spending your 2013 funds as usual.

If I have expenses for services I got in 2013 during the grace period, how will the money be deducted?
Employers will apply the expenses to your 2012 balance first, and then your 2013 balance (assuming you also elected an FSA or HRA for the current year).

What if I have an HSA?
The grace period doesn’t apply to HSAs because money in these accounts always rolls over year to year, so there’s no deadline to spend it.


How to Start a New Health Plan Off on the Right Foot

Posted on by The Simplee Team
1

Welcome to a new year, with new health benefits. You just chose a new health plan and now it’s in full effect. But most people don’t have a full understanding of how their benefits work. This means that many of them end up losing money in their spending accounts, paying more for care, or getting claims denied.

Follow these tips to make sure you start off 2013 right.

Plan for your Deductible
Guess what–deductibles have gone through the roof over the years, so that often means more cash out of your pocket. If you are one of the 65% of people who have a high deductible health plan, it’s especially important for you to plan your spending. High deductible health plans (HDHPs) come paired with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), or accounts where you can save money just for medical expenses free from taxes. To be best prepared, you should plan to save at least the amount of your deductible in your HSA as soon as possible.

Network It
Most health plans have some restrictions on what providers you can see or they cover much more on visits to in-network providers. Find out the type of plan you have and whether you have a provider network. HMO plans are the most restrictive–don’t even think about going to a non-network provider unless you want to pay the full cost. PPOs have some more flexibility, but services in-network will be less expensive. POS plans give you more freedom, but often involve more paperwork for out-of-network visits. And finally, FFS plans allow you go to any provider you want, but few companies offer this option anymore.

Get Spent
Did you sign up for an FSA or HRA? Don’t forget about the money in your account. These funds disappear if you do not spend it by the end of the year. Do some planning now by finding what eligible expenses you expect this year so that when they come up, you’ll know to pay with your FSA or HRA, insteading of other funds. If you have an HSA, the same “Use it or lose it” rule does not apply. Your savings will roll into the next year.

Practice Prevention
All health plans must cover a list of dozens of preventive care services, all free of cost. Get your money’s worth by checking out the list and asking your physician what they recommend. Even if you have a high deductible plan and you have not met your deductible, you can still get these services completely covered, as long as you don’t have a pre-existing condition that already required one of these tests or screenings. Learn more about preventive care here.

Have a Non-Emergency Plan

What do you do on the weekend or in the middle of the night when you’re not sure if a medical condition is serious enough for the ER or can wait for a doctor’s appointment?  Most health plans have a variety of options for these uncertain situations such as nurse advice lines or extended-hours urgent care. Know your options so that if you’re caught in the situation, you can choose to avoid an expensive ER visit. Of course, always go to the ER if you are having a life-threatening emergency.


Before 2013: Squeeze Extra Dollars Out of Your Health Benefits

Posted on by The Simplee Team
Reply

Before the new year rolls around, putting some attention towards your health benefits can save you a lot of money. Quick! You have limited time to make the most out of your health plan for 2012, and then to get ready for 2013.

Spend down your FSA or HRA 

If you have a Flexible Spending Account or Health Reimbursement Account, check on the date it rolls over (for most of them, it’s January). You’ll lose the funds if you don’t spend them in time. Some employers offer a grace period until March 15th, but after that date, the money disappears. See what expenses can be counted.

Don’t confuse your HSA. These funds stay with you year after year!

Take advantage of your deductible

Most plan deductibles also roll over at the end of the year. If you have already met your deductible, think about whether there are any other services or procedures you need to do soon. Scheduling them before the year ends might save you from having to pay completely out of pocket in the new year.

Fund your HSA

If you have an HSA, you already know that the money that goes into it is free from taxes. Did you also know that you can keep depositing up until April 15th and your contributions will count towards your 2012 income? That means you can add more funds if you didn’t deposit enough this year or aim for the maximum contribution to get the most tax savings.

Review next year’s plan

It’s time to look at what’s new for your health plan (or all the important details if you switched plans!). The top benefits to focus on? The deductibles (individual and family, as well as in-network and out-of-network), any changes to the drug formulary, and any changes to the provider networks. These last two rule changes often surprise consumers who think their plan will be the same as it was last year.

 

Costly Medicare Mistakes to Avoid if you’re Still Working

Posted on by The Simplee Team
Reply

Age 65 is kind of a magic time where the health insurance world changes. But many people are continuing to work beyond 65 these days. What should you do when you become eligible for Medicare but you’re still covered by your employer’s health insurance?

 Avoid these common mistakes that can lead to higher premiums, penalties, or missed enrollment opportunities.

1)   Paying for Part B when you don’t need it

While Medicare Part A is free if you have been working in the U.S. for most of your life, Part B comes for a monthly premium (in 2012 it was $99 for most people). If you have health insurance through your employer, you’re allowed to defer Part B. Otherwise, there is a late enrollment penalty (10% of the premium for each year you didn’t have Part B). Contact Social Security to delay Part B but remember to sign up as soon as you retire or you could be hit with the penalty.

2)   Using your Medicare first

As long as you’re working and covered by your employer’s plan (or your spouse’s plan), Medicare considers that coverage to be your primary insurance.* That means Medicare won’t pay for anything that your primary plan doesn’t cover. They’ll only pay a portion of the bill after the primary plan pays a portion (yes, odd Medicare rules, right?).

So let’s say your employee plan is an HMO, and you go outside your physician network. Don’t expect Medicare to cover anything. However, if you do go to a network doctor, your primary insurance will pay first, and then Medicare will pay a portion, up to the Medicare benefit level. Bottom line? The two sources of coverage aren’t interchangeable. Rely on your employer insurance, and think of Medicare as a bonus, not an alternative.

3)   Not Getting Part D when you should

A lot of people put off enrolling in Part D when they have prescription drug coverage through their employer. And that’s usually just fine. You’ll run into trouble however, if your drug plan is not considered “creditable coverage.” That means Medicare has decided the plan meets certain standards of being equivalent to a Medicare Part D plan. Most employer plans are creditable, but you should still check with your HR department. If your plan isn’t creditable, you’ll end up paying a late enrollment fee  for every month you didn’t have Part D as long as you have Medicare.

You’ve probably noticed by now that Medicare is pretty strict when it comes to how employer health insurance coordinates. And that means little forgiveness if you don’t follow the rules. Questions? Contact Medicare Coordination of Benefits.

Or need more individualized help with Medicare?  SHIP, the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, is a federal program that provides free one-on-one Medicare assistance. Search for the one in your area through Medicare.

 

* If you work for a small employer (20 or fewer employees), the rules are a bit different for you. Medicare is always your primary insurance!

 

5 Mistakes To Avoid During Open Enrollment

Posted on by The Simplee Team
Reply

 This post originally appeared on the Mint.com blog. 

The last few months of the year usually mean time to think about choosing new health benefits. Some people think about Open Enrollment as an opportunity—it’s your chance to switch plans! But for most, it’s a looming headache: time to stress about choosing the right benefits.

It could be that there are just so many more options today than ever before. Several years ago, most employers just gave you a choice between a low-cost HMO and a more expensive PPO. Now the options have multiplied into an extended family of acronyms. To make things worse, employers and health insurance companies are pushing more costs onto consumers, so it’s even more important to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.

As you approach your Open Enrollment period, here are 5 common mistakes, and how to avoid them.

1)   Doing nothing

Almost 9 out of 10 of us just keep the same benefits we had last year. That’s not necessarily a problem, especially if you’ve done your research and your needs haven’t changed. Just make sure nothing substantial has changed about the plan either. Sometimes premiums increase or  benefits get cut, and over time, the plan that was once a good deal may not be the best one for you anymore.

2)   Shopping only by the premium

It’s easy to focus on how much health insurance will cost you each month because it’s a clear, predictable expense. But don’t overlook what you’re paying for or you may find yourself facing big costs later on, such as high deductibles or co-insurance.

3)   Over-insuring

It’s possible to have more insurance than you need. While good-for-you from a health perspective, this might not be that great from a financial perspective.

This doesn’t necessarily mean choosing the cheapest plan if you are a healthy individual—because we are all at risk for those unexpected medical events. But it might mean choosing a plan that has a more limited network, like an HMO if you are not seeing any specialists. Or choosing a high-deductible plan if most of your visits are routine preventive care.

4)   Under-insuring 

Of course, you don’t want to go too far in the other direction choosing too minimal of a plan either. If you choose a high deductible plan, you should be able to pay the deductible at any time if needed. In an ideal world, you’d have lots of time to save up cash to cover your deductible in an HSA linked to the plan. But if you enroll in a high deductible plan, and suddenly have some medical bills before you’ve accumulated enough in your HSA, you could be in trouble.

5)   Ignoring the savings accounts

FSAs (Flexible spending accounts) and HRAs (Health reimbursement accounts) pretty much mean free money on the table. But there are estimates that as few as 20% of people set up an FSA when it’s offered.

If you’re turned off by the idea of keeping receipts and faxing photocopies, give these savings accounts another chance. Now, most issue debit-like cards and many merchants are set up to automatically recognize FSA or HRA eligible expenses—so you can spend easily. You should still keep receipts as proof, and you might still need them for certain expenses. But the tax savings are well worth the work.

 

 

Why Understanding Your Health Plan Just Got a Bit Easier

Posted on by The Simplee Team
Reply

Wouldn’t it be great if overnight, understanding health insurance magically became easier?

That was the aim September 23, 2012, but whether it actually happened is still in question.

On the 23rd, a new benefit from Health Reform kicked in, aimed at making it easier for consumers to understand insurance and compare plans.

It’s called the Uniform Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC). Right now, health plans already send you long, complicated SBCs. But the problem is, every one is different (ever tried to compare two of these?).

But now, every plan will be required to present their information in a standardized way, using the same definitions, so you can compare apples to apples.

Think of nutrition labeling—we can see instantly exactly how much more sodium is in one bag of chips versus another. That’s the goal behind the Uniform SBCs. And the “labels” actually don’t look that different from what’s on your food…

Even better, the new document also include “coverage examples,” or a theoretical breakdown of costs for some common medical conditions. See example SBCs here.

It’s a step forward, but here at Simplee, we know it’s not enough to make shopping for health insurance as easy as shopping for sweet potato chips. For example, it’s still difficult to compare 70% and 80% co-insurance when you don’t know the full cost of a service.

Basically, the new SBC will make is easier for consumers to choose between health plans, but after that, it’s still a challenge to understand claims and bills once you start using the plan.

Everyone with a private health plan will see this benefit. Look for it when you receive your plan documents each year or on your health plan’s website.

 

65 Free Preventive Care Benefits to Take Advantage Of

Posted on by The Simplee Team
Reply

It’s been said that nothing is free – even with health coverage.

But if you’ve already paid your premiums, now is the time to take advantage of all the 100% covered benefits.

Health plans are required to completely cover 16 free preventive services for adults, 22 for women, and 27 for children. That means you won’t pay any co-pays, co-insurance, or deductibles on any of these 65 services.

Here’s how you can make the most of those free benefits.

Get your basics done.

Aim to get an all-around profile of your health with screenings or wellness counseling.

  • Breast & colon cancer screenings
  • Diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, STD, HPV, & depression screenings
  • Vaccines for flu, pneumonia, measles, polio, meningitis
  • Annual check-ups for women
  • Counseling to quit smoking, lose weight, stop drinking, or on HIV and STDs, domestic violence, or breastfeeding.

Here is a complete list of services.

Tell your doctor

The next time you see your doctor, mention that you want to take advantage of your preventive care benefits.

If your doctor has record of you asking about them, they’ll not only be able to start you off, but they’ll see it in their notes whenever you come in and follow-up with you.

Basically, put it on the record: You’ll be more likely to get things done when someone else is part of the plan.

Know the limits

“Free” doesn’t necessarily mean, “always free.” The key is the word “preventive.”

If you’ve had a past medical history that now requires care that would normally be free, it doesn’t count.

For example, if you had a breast cyst, a mammogram would no longer be considered a preventive care benefit.

The same thing happens if the service is aimed at diagnosing a specific illness: if your doctor orders a colonoscopy because you’re having stabbing abdominal pain, the preventive care benefit wouldn’t apply.

Check your bills

For your health plan to treat a claim as a free preventive benefit, it needs to be coded with the right medical billing codes.

For example, a mammogram for a breast cancer patient will have a different code than a mammogram for a perfectly healthy woman.

Doctors and insurance companies make mistakes, so you should review your bills to make sure you weren’t charged. If you’re billed for a service you think should be free, call your health plan or ask your doctor about it.

 

This post first appeared on Mint.com.