Make the Most of Your Health Insurance

11/2/2022

Schedule appointments, tests and surgeries to maximize your health plan benefits before year end.

As the holidays approach, it’s easy to forget to take advantage of your insurance benefits. Now is a good time to review your outstanding health care needs and take full advantage of paid-up deductibles or available funds in Flexible Spending Accounts while you still can.

“Choosing the best strategy for using available health insurance plan benefits can be overwhelming for patients. However, it is an important task when considering health care needs,” said Chris Mendoza, chief executive officer for AllianceHealth Ponca City.

Most health insurance plans have a deductible requirement—a predetermined amount of healthcare expense that must be covered before the plan begins paying the majority of (if not all) remaining expenses. Mendoza says it’s crucial to know how close you are to meeting your deductible—or if you’ve already met it “because from the time you reach that amount, most of the expense is covered by your plan, but you must act fast as the time is limited before the new plan begins. Remember: a new year brings a new deductible,” he says.

The close of 2022 also affects individuals who have Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)—which are pre-tax dollars set aside primarily for health-related expenses. The Internal Revenue Service requires those funds to be spent—or forfeited—by December 31.

“I encourage you to schedule an appointment now to allow time to complete your services before the end of the year. Ideally, you want to have an annual check-up, allergy testing, elective surgery and all procedures completed by December to ensure these are considered part of your 2022 coverage,” says Mendoza.

Every health plan is different. It is important to know how your plan works so you can get the most from your benefits.

Visit AllianceHealthPoncaCityDocs.com to schedule an appointment now.

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