In health, there are a lot of ways we could apply the phrase “use it or lose it.”
Keep your body active or lose muscle and balance.
Keep your mind stimulated or lose synapsis and sharpness.
Keep your lab results optimal or experience degeneration.
And here at modrn med we help you with all that and more.
Because our goal is to help you live the most satisfying life possible right up until the end.
In that spirit, we want to help you out with a topic we don’t often talk a lot about.
Health Insurance.
That may have come as a curve ball for some of you!
After all, we don’t bill insurance directly.
In fact, the state of California unfortunately does not allow for naturopathic medical doctors to be contracted with insurance companies.
On the plus side…
Since we don't work with insurance companies we can choose tailor made solutions for you instead of sticking to the limited standard labs that insurance would pay for at a yearly visit.
However, we know that some of you rely on insurance to help you pay for things like appointments, lab tests, and prescriptions.
So we want to help you consider how to get the most out of your plan and our services.
Use it, or lose it:
Well, this time of year a couple things are happening.
For the upcoming year, you may be researching new health plans.
For the remainder of this year, you may have reached deductibles or out of pocket maximums OR have tax saving spending accounts to use.
Let’s start with reviewing plans for next year.
First, keep in mind that we are governed by the state's laws that we are lisensed in. We have doctors licsensed in: California, Arizona, Colorado, Vermont, and Maryland.
We are not contracted with any insurance companies in any of these states.
We CAN provide you with a superbill after your visit. Many of our patients submit these superbills to their insurance companies for full or partial reimbursement. Dig into the details of the plans you are considering for what is available to you.
Another thing to realize is if you have a PPO that has good coverage, we can process blood work through your insurance company.
If you have an HMO we have a very affordable lab company to order blood work through.
The key to working within restrictive network services is to uncover how to use the system in your favor.
HSA or FSA accounts are another great option.
These are arrangements where you set money aside to pay for qualified medical services. The benefit is that you don’t pay any tax on that money so it can be a 25% or more savings!
With HSAs you can contribute a certain amount of money for yourself or for a family into an HSA.
These are partnered with high deductible health plans and are great for entrepreneurs and/or people who expect to reach deductibles on any plan they choose. Once you hit the deductible with an HDHP, you’ve often hit the maximum out-of-pocket.
A friend got an HSA in 2022 because they were welcoming a new baby via C-section. That deductible was certainly going to be hit!
Ok…now we are going to switch gears a bit and talk about elements of health insurance plans to consider both right now and next year.
Flexible Spending Accounts
FSAs allow employees to be reimbursed for medical expenses. Some plans allow you to get reimbursed for supplements that your doctor has prescribed, which can save a lot of money.
They are usually funded through voluntary salary reduction agreements with your employer. No employment or federal income taxes are deducted from your contribution. The employer may also contribute.
However, FSA is known for its “use it or lose it” feature. AKA you have a deadline to use the funds in your FSA.
Your money typically expires at the end of the plan year and needs to be rolled over for you to be able to access it.
So consider using it, so you don't lose it
We have one more important time sensitive piece of information for you to consider about your health insurance.
Deductible and Out-of-Pocket Maximums.
There are a huge range of options with different health plans.
In fact, it’s often the first thing considered at the top of an insurance summary.
Well, at this time of year, it can be really helpful to tally up how much you have used.
After all, if you have surpassed your deductible, each appointment, lab, and prescription could essentially be at a discount now.
And if you have hit your maximum, anything you do that is covered can be considered free.
We only have so many slots available and each practitioner will be taking some time off to enjoy the holidays.
Grab an appointment while we still have some available.
This article does not constitute tax, insurance, or legal advice and should not be relied upon as instructions to complete your tax return or choose and bill insurance. If you have specific questions, please consult a qualified tax, insurance, or legal advisor.
Comments