The NYT read the Consumers Union’s, “A Consumer Guide to Handling Disputes With Your Employer or Private Health Plan,” and here’s their distillation of how you can avoid out of pocket expenses and frustration by making sure you know the following:

• What your deductible is…and if there are different deductibles for different parts of your health care…
• What your co-payis
• If your insurance company requires referrals from your primary-care physicians for specialists…or certain procedures…
• If your insurance requires preauthorization for elective surgeries or other services.
• If your insurance plan limits the number of visits to certain specialists.
• …the policy on using a doctor out of your insurance network…

It may sound like common sense but this reporter got worked up after denied payment for stuff she thought was covered, only to find out she hadn’t yet met her deductible for a certain treatment.

Hands to Hold When Health Care Becomes a Maze [NYT]
(Photo: paul>)

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