MyHealthily

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Ways to Save on Healthcare

Healthcare coverage can be confusing! There are thousands of plan options, codes and laws that seem to change every year. To help you through the confusion, here are some simple ways to save on your healthcare expenses outside your monthly premium. (Fun Fact: one of these tips could even help your premium go down at renewal.)

1. Understand your coverage: Your healthcare plan is full of documents; the summary plan description (SPD) is the one to focus on. The SPD is a detailed guide to the benefits provided and explains exactly how your plan works. It is required to be given to you for free as an enrollee in healthcare coverage. Another option is to speak with a health advocate. A health advocate will help you process all your healthcare coverage related needs. This includes going over the plan, explaining benefits, and helping find a provider if needed. Some plans include a healthcare advocate. A healthcare advocate can sometimes even help in finding child or elder care services!

2. Reduce Claims: This is a simple idea in theory, the fewer claims you incur throughout the plan year, the less you are spending out of pocket on co-pays, coinsurance, and toward your deductible. Reducing your number of claims can also reduce the increase of premiums year over year, helping you and your employer save more in the long term.

To reduce your claims means you visit the doctor less, but what if you need to see a provider? This is where telehealth benefits are helpful. Most insurance plans include telehealth service but using it still requires a co-pay and can incur a claim! If you need to speak with a medical provider, there are some telehealth plans like those that are part of Prosper Benefits that have $0 copay and do not show up as a claim. Prosper Benefits help reduce claims which can help reduce premiums year over year - this means more savings in your pocket!

3. Prescription Savings: Most plans offer prescription coverage, but what if you were able to save more through a third-party app than with your insurance? Well, often that is the case when you utilize Clever Rx. It may not always be less than with insurance, but it doesn’t hurt anyone to find out, so be sure to check out the Clever Rx app to see potential savings! Clever Rx is also available for every GAMA member no matter your health insurance status, and is as simple as visiting a link, entering your mobile number, and downloading an app. Scan the QR code in the image and download the app now!

4. Negotiate medical bills: Did you know that you can negotiate a medical bill?! Once a final bill from a provider is received you can call and discuss the expenses, set-up a payment plan, and many times with enough effort receive a discount. The key is knowing where to negotiate. Prosper Benefits includes Medical Bill Consultants that negotiate lower cost bills frequently. These consultants do all the heavy lifting by handling of the negotiations for you, giving you time back to enjoy your life!

5. Plan with an HSA: If you have a high deductible healthcare plan (HDHP) you can start a Health Savings Account (HSA). An HSA is a tax-advantaged account, owned by an individual, with contributions made to the account by the individual or their employer, sometimes both. Contributions are limited to a yearly maximum. An HSA can help you prepare for those unforeseen healthcare expenses.

Knowing these five tips will help you save on your healthcare coverage in the short term by lowering claim dollars spent (out of pocket costs) and in the long term by possibly affecting your renewal costs. As a GAMA member, if you have any questions about your options GameManufacturersHealthcare.com is here to assist. GameManufacturersHealthcare.com includes options like Prosper Benefits which empower you to make responsible decisions, giving you control of your healthcare. Use the QR code in the image to download Clever Rx and start saving on your prescription cost – this can even help save on your pet medications!