How Do I Use My ACA Insurance?
People think of health insurance as being only for when you’re sick, but that’s really just part of it. Health insurance is just as important when you’re feeling good. It can help you avoid getting sick — sometimes really sick — in the first place.
Preventive services, which can include immunizations, physical exams, lab work, X-rays, and more, focus on evaluating your health when you are symptom-free. These services can assist your primary-care provider (PCP) in detecting things like high blood pressure, diabetes, or cancer that, if not caught early, could end up causing major health issues for you, and leave you and your family owing large medical bills for much more expensive healthcare services later on.
Getting Started with New ACA Insurance
- Choose the PCP you want to see. For most people, this ends up being a doctor, though it can also be a physician assistant or a nurse practitioner.
- Make an appointment with your PCP.
- Be sure you have your insurance information available when you call to arrange your appointment.
- Be prepared for your appointment when you go by taking the following things with you:
- Your health-insurance card
- Any forms your PCP sent you to fill out ahead of time — and try to have them completed, since it will save you a lot of time in the waiting room
- Any medical records you think might help your PCP understand your medical history or current healthcare needs
- A list of all your prescription and non-prescription medications, plus any supplements you take, including how often you take each, and at what dosage
- A list of any prescriptions that you need to have refilled
- Information on allergies you have, including allergies to specific medicines
- Your payment for the visit, if any
- A list of questions or concerns you have about your health, or your healthcare. It’s easy to forget to ask these things once you get in the doctor’s office, so having them written down to take with you can be a huge help.
Making Sure Coverage Doesn’t Lapse
Things happen when we least expect it, so don’t chance it when it comes to your health, or your finances. Keep your coverage active by paying your monthly premiums. Missing those payments may cause you to lose your insurance.
After you enroll in an ACA health-insurance plan, you will receive instructions on how to make your initial payment to the insurance company. After that first payment is received, the insurance company will send you a welcome package that includes your health-insurance card and instructions on how you should pay your premiums.