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How to Choose Your Health Plan in November

webinar-imgHaving the right health plan for you and your family could be the difference between being able to pay for your healthcare or not.  If you buy insurance that doesn’t cover you and your families healthcare needs, you’ll be paying for those services yourself. So how do you find the health plan that will cover you and save you money?

That’s what I am going to teach in my very first FREE webinar: 4 Insider Tips for Choosing the Right Health Plan. 

Open enrollment for most health insurance, including employer plans and Obamacare, is in November–that’s right around the corner!

In this webinar you’ll learn how to prepare for the decision, what questions to answer before you decide, and what to look for in a health plan. We’ll also decode the terms used by insurance companies so you’ll know exactly what you’re getting into.

And we’ll do it all in just 30 minutes.

Mark this on your calendar: October 16 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern. Reserve your spot now. Again, it’s free.

Worried you can’t make it? We will be recording this webinar. Go ahead and RSVP and we’ll notify you when the replay is available.

Do you have questions you want answered during this webinar? Leave a comment on this post and we’ll address it in Q&A during the webinar.

See you there!

 

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Should You Sign Up For Your Company’s Wellness Program?

Could healthy habits save you money?

CigarettesIf you work for a large-scale corporation there’s probably a good chance you’ve encountered a company wellness program. If not, it’s likely that you’ll encounter one in the near future. Corporate wellness incentive programs are increasingly popular among companies that offer health insurance coverage, in part, due to the roll-out of the Affordable Care Act.

The idea behind wellness programs is to promote healthy habits. Theoretically, healthier employees—those who don’t smoke, exercise regularly, etc.—are less expensive to insure. Should you opt-in to your company’s wellness program? Here are some things to consider:

Pros: Requirements like quitting tobacco products or exercising regularly could pay off for your overall wellness and longevity in addition to monetary incentives from your employer.

Cons: Opponents of wellness programs argue that the policies are often far too invasive and coercive, asking staff members questions about family planning and alcohol use. Those who opt-in may also be required to submit to extensive medical tests. Even more concerning, economists have found that wellness programs rarely reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke within a company’s population.

Still, the American Heart Association recently revealed its own set of standards based on scientific evidence that should guide more corporate wellness programs towards reducing health risks among employees. While it’s ultimately up to the individual to opt into a wellness program, the real question is why not try to improve your personal health?

Are you deciding whether to use your company’s health insurance, Obamacare, or some other plan? Enrollment for most plans is in November. Join my free webinar “4 Insider Tips for Choosing the Right Health Plan” to learn which plan is right for you. REGISTER NOW

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Do you know about your doctor’s new codes?

Doctor On Stress With Stacks Of Files. Bureaucracy In The HospitWhen your doctor sees you, he or she has to enter a code in the system that describes the treatment provided. This gives useful information regarding public health and care quality, but it also determines how much a doctor will get paid.

As of October 1, 2015, there is a new code set that doctors must use called ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, Revision 10).

Some of our readers have mentioned that they have been noticing a lot of commotion behind the scenes in their doctor’s office lately.

That’s because doctors and hospitals all over the country have been preparing for the switch to ICD-10. ICD-10 is far more complex and specific than the ICD-9 code system it replaced.

There are now almost 70,000 billing codes, as opposed to the previous 14,000 codes. Hospital procedure codes are expanding from 4,000 codes to 72,000 codes.

This means that your doctor will need to be a lot more specific in their coding and may have a lot more questions for you.

Many doctors think this could be problematic, especially during the transition period.

Some doctors and experts have questioned the new codes, as they are extremely specific. For example, under ICD-10, cardiologists no longer have 1 code for angioplasty, now they have 845 codes, and dermatologists now need to specify which of the 8 kinds of acne a patient has. This has caused many doctors a great deal of stress.

Even more problematic for many doctors is that the external causes of injuries have been greatly expanded in the new code system. Many of these new external causes codes are very strange, and again, very specific.

These include specific codes for:

  • Sucked into jet engine, subsequent encounter;
  • Pedestrian on foot injured in collision with roller-skater, subsequent encounter;
  • Swimming-pool of prison as the place of occurrence of the external cause;
  • Burn due to water-skis on fire, subsequent encounter;
  • Spacecraft collision injuring occupant, sequela;
  • And many, many more.

So next time you’re in your doctor’s office and you see them struggling to describe the reason for your visit with extreme specificity, you’ll know why.

Right now you can receive a FREE copy of my ebook Easy Healthcare: Your Hospital Stay. CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

With MyHealthspin, You Spin Your Healthcare Your Way!