How Women's Health Care Changes with Different Insurance Plans
Did you know there are certain items every insurance provider must have for women's health care needs? Learn more here.
Based on recent studies, some women are paying as much as 80 percent more for care than men are paying for the same level of healthcare.
With the wide variety of health plans out there, it can feel overwhelming to pick just one. If you're not an expert in the field, women's health care shopping can seem like a minefield.
Here is everything you need to know about women's health plans.
Going through the Marketplace
If you've gone through the marketplace before, you know what a powerful tool it is. With just one application, you get the change to compare a ton of plans that have a wide variety of serviced attached. It's a bit overwhelming, but it's the best way to see what's out there for someone like you.
In the marketplace, you can choose and compare different plans that give you various benefits. Most of them cover pre-existing conditions and preventative services to keep you healthy before you get sick.
They allow you to enroll in a health plan if you don't have one already. If you do, you could lower your current costs with the help of the marketplace.
If you want to learn all about the services that are provided for children and people with low incomes, they have all the info you need about CHIP and Medicaid. If you need coverage but fear you can't afford it for yourself or for young children, the marketplace will help you.
Preventative Care for Women
One of the most important parts of former President Obama's Affordable Care Act or "Obamacare" is that it was meant to help provide preventative care. When you provide a comprehensive preventative care plan, you eliminate the need for long-term care for preventable diseases with dietary and small life changes.
Marketplace plans are required to contain a number of services essential to preventing disease and long-term problems. Some of the main things they cover for women include regular breast cancer screenings and cervical cancer tests.
Many of the marketplace plans also include contraception to improve your family planning. You can get HIV and regular STD screenings along with counseling if you find that these tests or their results require some explanation.
There are osteoporosis screenings to check bone density. Since women are more prone to this disease, regular testing is paramount. Even if you haven't met your yearly deductible, you're entitled to services like this and everything listed above.
Pre-Existing Condition Care Is Here
While the marketplace is mainly aimed at ensuring affordable coverage, one of its great innovations was care for people with pre-existing conditions.
In the past, healthcare companies have discriminated against consumers who had pre-existing disorders. With these new plans, even if you have an issue before the start date of your plan, you won't be exempted from care.
Being sick no longer prohibits you from coverage in this new era. This is great news for people who have chronic illnesses as they need healthcare the most. Rather than being left in the cold, they receive the services they are entitled to like the rest of us.
Years ago, companies charged more for female customers and women with female-specific disorders. Pregnant women and those with cancer were paying more than men who may have been in lesser health.
Once you're under a plan, your coverage begins immediately with no need for a waiting period, even if you have a pre-existing condition. Rather than making you wait a set amount of time, you now get the care you're entitled to ASAP.
Make Sure You Get Those Minimum Requirements
All plans in the marketplace are now required to meet a series of minimum requirements. Those that don't aren't allowed to be a part of the marketplace and the ACA's coverage system.
Preventative care and wellness services that ensure you stay in good health are a bare minimum when you're getting one of these plans.
On top of that, children's care is a must. Pediatric services are covered by all types of plans, and the higher your premium, the more benefits you'll get.
You also benefit from emergency services, including emergency room visits and some medications. If you end up in the hospital, most of the basic and routine surgeries should be covered.
If you're over 65 or your income falls below the poverty line, you're eligible to apply for a plan through Medicare or Medicaid. If you find that you need extensive coverage beyond Medicare, you can get it extended via Medicare supplement Plan G.
Submitting Your Application
Unlike previous eras that were more discriminating and where health insurance companies had more control, it's easier than ever to apply for healthcare. With most plans nowadays, you only need to submit basic information.
Through the marketplace, you need to provide some basic employment and wage information to calculate how much of a credit you're eligible for. This credit is automatically applied to your bill each month, bringing your premium down.
In the past, you'd have had to submit medical records, meaning you'd need to go through a checkup before you could even get coverage. They would check for documentation of pre-existing conditions and then calculate your coverage based on how much you needed. Now they only look at how much you can afford to pay, making it a much fairer system.
Women's Health Care Doesn't Have to Be a Struggle
While it's frustrating to think of how often women pay more for care than men, the recent changes to the system make women's health care more affordable. If you dive into the field, you'll find lots of options for plans that fit your needs and budget.
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