Your health and wellness are crucial parts of your overall quality of life. Injuries and illnesses can substantially impact all facets of your life, including your family, career and social relationships. Further, battling a sickness or recovering from injuries can lead to high costs. Fortunately, health insurance can go a long way in helping you focus on recovery and rehabilitation rather than additional financial stress.

For nearly 50 years, the insurance experts at Killingsworth Agency have been helping individuals, families and businesses in Hernando County and across central Florida understand health insurance and acquire optimal coverage.

What Is Health Insurance?

Health insurance is one of the most essential coverages for everyone. These policies can help pay for access to doctors, specialists and hospitals. In addition, they may cover medical and surgical expenses, as well as prescription drugs and preventive care.

When exploring your options for health insurance, you should understand the following terms:

·        Premium—This is the amount that policyholders pay to their provider regularly (e.g., monthly) to maintain coverage.

·        Deductible—This refers to what a policyholder will need to pay out of pocket for healthcare in a given year before insurance will begin to contribute. Many plans may cover particular preventive care, such as screenings and shots, without the deductible having been reached.

·        Co-pay—This is a fixed amount that policyholders must pay for various healthcare services, such as visiting specialists or getting X-rays.

·        Out-of-pocket limit—This clause establishes a maximum amount policyholders must pay for medical expenses within a given year. After reaching this limit, insurance will cover all healthcare costs for the remainder of the year.

What Are the Primary Types of Health Insurance?

Health insurance comes in many different forms that offer various types of coverage. Some of the most common include:

·        Individual

·        Family

·        Group health

·        Vision

·        Dental

·        Disability

·        Long-term care (LTC)

·        Medical spending accounts (e.g., health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts and health reimbursement arrangements)

Regardless of their specific intent or focus, most health insurance plans belong to one of the following categories:

·        Fee-for-service—These policies offer a broad and diverse network of specialists, doctors and hospitals. In exchange for generally higher costs, policyholders will have greater liberty to choose where to seek health care.

·        Managed care—These plans help insurance providers limit costs by regulating the medical services available to policyholders to a more narrow network. Patients may need approval from their provider before being admitted to a hospital or qualifying for a major operation.

There are many options for health insurance; most plans can be augmented or customized to suit your medical and financial situations.

Protect Yourself With the Right Coverage

Regardless of how healthy or safe your lifestyle may be, it’s impossible to completely eliminate all risks and hazards. With that in mind, it’s necessary to carry an adequate health insurance policy that can provide financial assistance following an incident that results in bodily harm. Even a single accident could lead to crippling medical bills without adequate protection.

Contact the agents at Killingsworth Agency today to begin a dialogue about health insurance. We will help analyze the many facets of your life that determine your coverage needs and work with you to build an optimal plan.