When Health Insurance Does Not Cover Your Medical Care

by Michael Benifez

With prices in every industry rising throughout the decade, there is no doubt that insurance rates of all kinds are reaching frightening heights as well. However, the increased rate of health insurance doesn’t mean you should not agree to have it anymore.
When it comes to the coverage of checkups, illnesses, emergencies, or prescriptions, the costs your health insurance covers saves you lots of money in the end.
As good and as important it is to have health insurance for yourself and your family, there are always the exceptions. No matter what plan you have and how much it covers, there may be a time in your life when you go through treatment or have a medical condition in which your health insurance policy will not take care of. Usually these exceptions to your insurance deal with plastic surgery, however, a different situation may arise.
When you have your insurance plan, whether you took notice of it in the beginning or not, there are “excluded treatments” outlined. When seeking a treatment that your insurance company says they cannot cover, the first thing you should do is read over your policy.
If what you want or need done is not listed in the “excluded treatments,” you should contact the company your insurance is with and ask them about their reasoning behind it. Not all of the time, but in some scenarios, talking to the insurance company and your physician will help you get consent to go on with your treatment or surgery.
When things do not work out how you wanted and you do not get approval for your treatment or surgery, there isn’t much you can do. If you decide to still go on with your treatment you will be compelled to pay for everything yourself. Not everyone has the money for expensive treatments or surgeries these days, and if you do not want to give up the fight, you can continue to appeal your insurance company’s decision.
In order to follow through with an appeal, you must do all the steps correctly. Most companies are dealing with tons of consumers, and would rather make an exception for your need rather than take the time to handle the appealing process.
If all fails, there are only a few options to offer before you decide to have nothing taken care of, or decide to pay the full price. When all is said and done and you are out of hope, try asking your doctor to lower the payment or if you could work out a plan so you do not have to pay it all at once. If there is no hope there either, take some time to look up other doctors and see if you can negotiate a lower price with someone different.
Lastly, this does not apply to all, but you can check to see if you are able to get free treatment at a public clinic. For some unfortunate ones, none of these options could work. However, if you feel you have the time and venture, you should be able to get what you want or need done at a reasonable price.
About the Author
Medical emergencies can put anyone behind the financial eight ball. Visit Everlife.com to learn more about credit, debt relief and improve your financial rating.