Health Insurance Deductable?!


Question:

Health Insurance Deductable?

i was wondering how the deductable works.

i have a 250 deductable plan

does that means doesn't matter which doctor i visit, if the cost is under 250 everytime per visit, i pay that amount out of my pocket?

or does it means accumlate through out the year, after i paid $250 for any visit i have to any doctor(s), after that i only pay my co-insurance?

thanks!

Additional Details

3 weeks ago
my provider is United Healthcare


Answers:

Deductibles are amounts that need to be met on a yearly basis before medical costs will be paid for by insurance.

Usually, there is an additional "co-pay" for office visits that doesn't count towards your deductible. Deductible costs are x-rays, labwork, MRI, CT, some referrals to specialists.

For example...

You go to your family doc for back pain...have to pay them $20 (copay). They order an x-ray of your back that costs $50 towards your deductible...(250-50...200 left on your deductible). Your family doc thinks you need to see a spine specialist...$40 copay (at least with my plan, specialists are double my primary physician). The spine doc says you need an MRI that costs $800...but you will only pay $200 to satisfy your deductible...then your insurance company kicks in to pay the remaining amount after your co-insurance ($600 left...say you have an 80/20 plan which means insurance will pay 80% of the remaining $600...and you pay the remaining 20%, or $120. The MRI comes back saying you need surgery...the insurance company will now pay 80% of that surgery and you will be responsible for the remaining 20% until you fulfill your calendar year out of pocket maximum.

Every January 1, your deductible goes back to a total of $250 and you start over again.

Now, keep in mind that just about every policy, every group policy is different...some things are covered and some aren't. Refer to your coverage literature that came to you after you got your policy, or if it is an employee plan, talk to your HR person...they can give more details than anyone on Yahoo answers because they know more of what is going on.

I've had 3 different United Healthcare plans with three different jobs...and all three were different policies...yup...different coverages. A $250 deductible plan is awesome tho...real good compared to what I've had in recent years!!




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