These 29 tips can help guide you through a sometimes bewildering array of options.
Access to health insurance is protected by federal law if your employer offers group coverage. But if you need to buy insurance on your own and you have a history of medical problems, finding affordable insurance can be a challenge.
Either way, you can take steps to control your health-care costs.
Get the most from your employer plan.
If you’re insured through your employer, review your coverage annually when your company holds open enrollment.
* You may have a choice of several types of providers. Base your decision on access to quality care and what the plan does and doesn’t pay for. Examine deductibles, co-payments, limits on out-of-pocket expenses, lifetime maximum benefits and prescription coverage. (See “When your health plan won’t pay.”)
* Have your medical needs changed? A plan that couples higher premiums with lower co-pays is better for people with health problems.
* You can pay out-of-pocket health-care expenses with a flexible spending accountusing pretax dollars, meaning Uncle Sam covers as much as a third of the tab. But you’ll lose what you don’t use in the calendar year (employers can extend the deadline to mid-March), and you can’t take it from job to job.
* You may be able to lower your premiums by taking advantage of employee incentives to lose weight, exercise and stop smoking. (Your employer’s plan cannot single you out for higher premiums or drop your coverage if you develop health problems.)
Learn more: moneycentral.msn.com
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