Surprisingly the answer is “yes.”  Due to a loophole in ObamaCare, high deductible plans are still allowed when an employer  also offers one health plan to its employees that meets the Affordable Care Act’s requirements.

For patients, this means that it is more important than ever to check to see what your coverage is before assuming that a health insurance will cover all costs.

Many companies are providing its employees with “fixed indemnity” plans which will cover certain services like a doctor’s visit for a set price but will have limits on the amount of visits per year.  Thus, many necessary services will not be covered or the patient will max out of coverage before the necessary services are provided.

Starting in 2015, employers with over 50 employees must provider health plans that meet the basic requirements of the Affordable Care Act or face penalties.  Many employers are planning on offering 2 plans – one that meets the basic requirements and one that does not.  Article

Patients should make sure to:

1. Check their insurance prior to receiving care.
2. Educate themselves about ObamaCare.
3. Become aware of any changes their insurance and relay this to their healthcare practitioner. Communication is “key.”
4. If you have questions your healthcare provider can’t answer, call your insurance company, employer or 1-800-318-2596 for questions about healthcare.gov

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All of this information and more will be explained in MyHealthSpin’s soon-to-be-released book, Easy Healthcare:  Choose Your Health Insurance.  For more information,  go to myhealthspin.com.