Hassle-Free Health Coverage: Plan Benefits
What kind of plan is right for you and your family? Only you know for sure. The plan that is "best" for your nextdoor neighbor may not be the "best" plan you and your family.
In addition to basic benefits, you might want to find out if the health plan you are considering covers:
- physical exams and health screenings;
- care by specialists;
- hospitalization and emergency care;
- prescription drugs;
- vision care; and
- dental services.
The Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) also recommends looking into how a plan handles the following:
- care and counseling for mental health;
- services for drug and alcohol abuse;
- obstetrical-gynecological care and family planning services;
- care for chronic (long-term) diseases, conditions or disabilities;
- physical therapy and rehab care;
- home health, nursing home, and hospice care;
- chiropractic or alternative health care, such as acupuncture; and
- experimental treatments.
If health education and preventive care benefits are important to you, you might want to ask about services such as, shots for children, breast exams, Pap smears, or programs to help quit smoking.
