The end of every year is packed with activities – school starting, planning for major holidays including travel, harvesting fall crops and changing weather adding complications. Amidst life’s many tasks, Foot & Ankle Surgical Associates wants to ensure people take full advantage of their health insurance plan before the year comes to an end.
“Most plans have a deductible that starts over January 1,” says Shelby Carter, marketing director for Foot & Ankle Surgical Associates. “They also have out-of-pocket maximums that reset at the new year. It’s a benefit to make sure you get any work or preventative care done before then. This saves you the most money.”
Carter is taking her own advice right now. She had a baby earlier this year and has paid both her deductible and out-of-pocket maximum already. “I can go to the doctors through the end of the year and almost all the services are covered 100 percent, so I am trying to utilize that as much as possible before December 31.” She wants to make sure others know this health insurance “secret” too.
Tips to get the most out of your insurance
The staff at Foot & Ankle suggest several items to address before the end of the year to maximize your health insurance. These include:
Surgeries. “Definitely go to the doctor and have it taken care of if it’s bothering you,” says Jamie Turner, practice manager at Foot & Ankle Surgical Associates. “When I call people up to schedule surgeries at the beginning of the year, many people want to wait because of money. The end of the year is the time to have this done when it’s most financially beneficial to you.”
Preventive Care. Even if you have a really high deductible, Carter says some preventive care items can be covered at no charge. Things like routine dental exams or annual check-ups. “Everyone should take advantage of all of these covered items because they are paying for them and because they keep you healthy, which saves you money,” she adds.
Custom Orthotics. Foot & Ankle Surgical Associates provides custom orthotics, typically covered by your insurance. “Many plans will cover a pair of orthotics yearly,” says Carter. “Everyone has more than one pair of shoes so having an extra pair can be handy. And, everyone can benefit from orthotics, so this is a good one for anyone.”
Yearly Diabetic Foot Checks. Foot & Ankle works with many diabetic patients and maintaining good foot health is important for anyone suffering from this disease. Diabetic foot assessments are covered by most insurance companies.
Physical and Massage Therapy. Most insurance companies have a certain number of visits they will cover for both of these services. “It’s to your benefit to use all those visits each year,” says Turner. “After all, you are paying for them.”
Use it or Lose it Campaign
Aside from the deductible you already paid and those out-of-pocket maximums, people who have Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA) are literally throwing money away if they don’t use it up every calendar year. “With HSAs, a portion usually carries over into the new year, but not all of it,” explains Carter. “And with FSAs none does. That’s your money. And if you don’t spend it, you lose it.”
The good news is, you can use that money on any medical service, including physical and massage therapies, even if your insurance doesn’t cover them. Carter also mentions the FSA and HSA money is good towards contacts, glasses and other items.
To make sure their own patients maximize their benefits, Foot & Ankle Surgical Associates have held a “Use it or Lose it Campaign” for the past ten years. They send out year-end reminders and notices to their patients to help them remember their insurance will soon reset. “We have patients that need the reminder and then we have some that just don’t quite understand their insurance plan. We try to explain it to them as best we can,” says Turner.
Extended Hours
For most doctor’s offices, the end of the year is their busiest time as people try to use their benefits. Appointments are in high demand so scheduling in advance is recommended.
Foot & Ankle Surgical Associates extends surgery hours into the weekends through the end of the year, to accommodate as many patients as possible. “We have so many patients that want to come in for surgery before the end of the year that our regular hours just aren’t enough,” says Turner. “So we do add more days and hours from now until the end of the year.”
Winter break is a great time to have surgery. Foot and Ankle suggests, however, you schedule an appointment now as space is filling up fast. This is true for any type of service from any provider.
If you are unsure about what is covered by your health insurance, Turner recommends contacting your employer’s human resources department or calling your insurance provider. “Also, plans change, so it’s a good idea to review you plan often so you can make sure you are taking full advantage of your benefits,” she adds.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit the Foot & Ankle Surgical Associates website or call 360-754-3338.
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