AIS Can Help You Navigate the Difficult Healthcare Industry
A recent national Harris poll commissioned by Accolade, a healthcare concierge company, is shedding some light on the current healthcare system and how consumers feel about it. The numbers are a bit troubling. Participants were asked questions about how they would rate the ease of our current system, how confident they are in their knowledge of healthcare, and how they would rate their experience overall.
When rating the ease of the current healthcare marketplace, nearly one-third or 32% indicated they were uncomfortable with their own skills. In other words, they are unsure about what they are signing up for. The really unsettling news is this percentage is higher than participants’ uncertainty about purchasing a car, electronics, or even a new home. When looking closer at the survey, working families with an average age of 39 indicated the second-lowest positive rating of their overall benefits and healthcare experience (42%). Their chief complaints are the excessive amount of time spent dealing with healthcare issues and more significantly, the cost of services and medications.
Know your Healthcare Basics
Knowing the basic terminology when it comes to healthcare plans is a great place to start. Each policy offers different options for many categories, each health insurance provider offering several policies and many providers add up to an ocean of possibilities. Understanding these fundamental terms (link to: https://www.wpsic.com/members/smart-consumer/healthinsuranceterminology.shtml ) can lead to a path of better comprehension.
Benefit—The total amount payable to a plan member for medical costs by the insurance company.
Copayment—A flat fee paid for certain medical expenses you pay for services rendered. The insurance company pays the rest.
Deductible—The total amount of money you must pay out of pocket each year before insurance payments take over.
Dependent—Any individuals covered by the primary insured member’s plan. (i.e. spouse or children)
In-network provider—Any healthcare provider that is part of the insurance companies preferred network. These providers will cost the consumer less out of pocket. (i.e. doctor, hospital, or pharmacy)
Out-of-pocket maximum—The highest total amount of money paid out of pocket during a year of coverage. This includes deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance, but not premiums. Insurance will cover the rest of the expenses for the remainder of the year.
Premium—The monthly payment the individual and/or the employer pays each month for insurance coverage.
How can AIS Help?
AIS knows the healthcare industry is difficult. Their number one goal is to assist individuals, businesses and associations with all their healthcare needs. Another startling stat from Accolade’s recent poll is the average amount of time employees spend dealing with healthcare issues. Across the board, employees indicated spending an average three and a half hours per month, at work, dealing with insurance problems. That is a significant decrease in worker productivity. 80% of these same individuals indicated a single, trusted source that could help with their needs such as selecting and using benefits would be the top service they would wish for.
The great news is that this is exactly why AIS is in business. Since 1990, they have been working hard to create benefits packages for customers that fit their needs. Their experience and knowledge of the industry is vast and always changing. Let’s face it; the healthcare industry changes on a daily basis. Legislation and politics create new situations every year. AIS works diligently to stay on top of the information and changes to keep you ahead of the game. They will guide, educate, continually monitor and support their clients throughout the year. With HR Solutions offered to all their clients free of charge, customers can rest assured their needs will be met. Let AIS help you navigate the complex labyrinth of the healthcare marketplace and find you a policy you feel confident in.
Give AIS, Inc. a call today for any questions or concerns you may have about health care, benefits, or anything else! To receive information on how to obtain an original, customized solution contact us today (800) 523-8351.