Health is wealth and health insurance is the saviour when you are struggling with finances for any treatment. According to Dr. Laura Ispas, an experienced allergist from Ashburn, Virginia, about 8% of all children and adults know what it is like to struggle with labored breathing and wheezing – common complications of asthma. Asthma is a chronic disease caused by the inflammation, and swelling of a person’s lung muscles, leading to recurrent wheezing and shortness of breath. During an asthma attack, the airways of the patient constrict, reducing the flow of air in and out of the lungs. Common causes of the disease include genetic predisposition of the patient or by exposure to allergens. The allergy asthma and sinus center in Lansdowne have trusted doctors who know how to treat patients and help them get the care they need.
Health Insurance
A recent surge in the number of asthma patients in the country is now a matter of major concern to the public, and people are looking at options to manage the disease without much impact to their financial positions. Any patient with a medical history of asthma should be aware of the expenses involved in the treatment of the disease, and the need to buy a health insurance cover. Talk to an informed allergy doctor like Dr. Laura Ispas in order to broaden one’s understanding of the disease and the best health plans to buy.
Reasons to Buy
There are several reasons why an asthmatic should buy a health insurance cover, the most significant reason being the high cost of treatment. Asthma attacks can be severe and may sometimes require expensive medication. Regular visits to doctors, purchasing medicine, and inhalers hike the cost of treatment to ridiculous amounts. Additionally, hospitalization expenses including various diagnostic tests further accrue these costs. Diagnostic tests and imaging studies need to be performed in order to measure lung function and severity of asthma. A patient must invest in a health insurance plan to help reduce these out-of-pocket expenses. Investing in a health plan will go a long way in enabling asthmatics to offset their medical expenses, helping them focus on recovery.
Types of Plans
There are so many types of health coverage plans. Insurance plans are normally categorized into four, namely bronze, silver, gold, and platinum, based on different coverage factors and rates. The difference between the plans boils down to how much flexibility they have for patients. HMOs, offer the slightest flexibility at the least expense, while PPOs offer the utmost flexibility at a greater cost. As an asthmatic, one may want the flexibility that allows them to access their trusted allergist or pulmonologist, but at the same time keep premium costs to a minimum so they can more easily afford their medications. Before shopping for health insurance, one must make sure he or she knows which type of plan will best suit them and their budget.
Considerations to Make
There are a few things that one should consider before buying health insurance for asthma patients. The first includes the extent of coverage. Expenses involved in treating asthma include doctor charges, medicines, and hospital costs. One must consider these expenses and choose the plan that provides the most comprehensive coverage suitable for their needs. They must carefully check for exclusions in the plan to ensure they don’t end up paying for procedures they thought were covered under their policy. They must also look into the renewal period and claim settlement ratio. Comparing claim settlement ratios (CSR) of various insurance providers and asking the insurers to provide them with previous CSR, will help one get an estimate of a successful claim settlement.
