Evaluating Your Health Care Needs

Use this checklist to prioritize health insurance needs.

Today, there are more types of health insurance, and more choices, than ever before. The information presented here will help you choose a plan that is right for you. You may be buying health insurance for the first time, or you may already have health insurance but want to consider changing plans. Married or single, children or no children, this information will help you to find out how to choose a health insurance plan that best meets your needs and your pocketbook. Definitions of the health insurance terms used are included in the section called Understanding Health Insurance Terms.

Checklist: What's Most Important to You?Insurance plans vary. Before choosing a plan, decide what is most important to you. This checklist can help. Put a check in front of those services that are important to you. Then see how many of these services are in Policy #1, Policy #2, and Policy #3. On the checklist, write in the coinsurance or copayment rate, if there is one, and any limits on service. Remember that the most important service to be covered is hospitalization. If you are not covered for hospital care, then one sickness could cost you thousands of dollars, even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Service Policy #1 Policy #2 Policy #3 -Hospital care-Surgery (inpatient and outpatient)-Office visits to your doctor-Maternity care-Well-baby care-Immunizations-Mammograms-Medical tests, x-rays-Mental health care-Dental care, braces and cleaning-Vision care, eyeglasses and exams-Prescription drugs-Home health care-Nursing home care-Services you need that are excluded

Other issues that areimportant to you:

-Choice of doctors-Convenient location of doctors and hospitals-Ease of getting an appointment-Minimal paperwork-Waiting period before coverage begins

Which policy is best for you?