You took the step to enroll for health insurance coverage using Healthcare.gov. Congratulations! You’ve joined more than 31 million people who have the peace of mind of knowing they are covered with access to preventive health care and life-saving screenings.
Take advantage of free services.
Preventive health services are included in every Healthcare.gov plan and are free. They are routine health care procedures such as screenings, check-ups, and counseling to prevent illness and other health problems.
All Healthcare.gov plans are required to cover preventive health services 100%. This means that insurance companies cannot charge you a copay or coinsurance to get this type of medical attention. For example, an annual check-up, immunizations, children’s vision screenings, contraception and well-woman visits are free. You’ll just need to show your health insurance card at your doctor’s office. Get specific lists of preventive services for adults, women and children.
Preventive services are free only when you get them from a doctor or other provider in your plan’s network. (A network is the facilities, providers and suppliers your health insurance company has contracted with to provide health care services.) Talk to your doctor about taking advantage of these free services to keep you and your family healthy.
Look at the Summary of Benefits and Coverage.
To understand your plan better, and to be prepared in case of illness or an emergency, read the Summary of Benefits and Coverage that comes with your plan. Log in to your Healthcare.gov account or call your health insurance company to get a copy.
This document will give you a snapshot of your possible costs throughout the year and includes examples of common medical events. For example, it will explain how much a hospital visit or prescription drugs will cost you.
Know where to go for care.
You can get health care at many different places, including the emergency department when you’re injured or very sick. But it’s best to get regular care from a primary care provider (often a doctor at a family medicine clinic). Primary care providers work with you to make sure that you get the right services, manage your chronic conditions and improve your health and well-being. It might take more than one visit to figure out if a provider is right for you, so it’s important to be proactive and start your search now.
If you aren’t sure how to find a doctor in your area, your health insurance company’s website is a good place to start. If you have a health insurance plan in the Charlotte area, use the following provider search tools:
Or, if you know of a doctor that a friend or family member recommended to you, you can call that doctor’s office to see if they accept your health insurance plan. Remember, your care will be a lot cheaper if you go to a doctor in your health plan’s network.
Check out this guide for more great tips on how to make your health insurance work for you.