How to choose the health insurance that is best for you?

Purchasing health insurance can give you more security and peace of mind, as it gives you access to private sector medical services at a lower cost. This is undoubtedly one of the essential insurances for you and your family.

Most people who look for health insurance do so because it can help them pay for hospital stays, visits to specialists, or tests. Depending on the method (and price) chosen, the insurance company pays different amounts.

No matter what type of insurance you plan to purchase, defining your priorities and understanding the different factors should be an initial task. Learn the 5 essential steps to choosing the right health insurance for you.

5 steps to choosing the right health insurance

1. Understand the language used

The first step in choosing the best health insurance is knowing the language used. That way you won't be caught off guard.

These are the concepts you should know:

Policy - Proof of the conclusion of the contract and it is here where the most important information of the same is collected, such as: the general conditions, the duration of the contract , the insured capital, the premium, the insured's data, the risks included and excluded, among others.
Premium - It is the amount that must be paid for the insurance and the periodicity of this payment.
roofing - These are the situations provided for in the contract and that the insurance is obliged to cover.
Exclusions - These are the situations excluded from the policy and that the insurance does not cover.
grace period - It is the period during which the insurance cannot be activated. This may vary from cover to cover.
pre- existing disease - It is a disease that the insured already suffered from before the date of the contract. is by filling out the medical questionnaire to provide information about your medical history.

2. Learn about the different types of cost sharing

Health insurance works in 3 ways to share the costs:

Reimbursement - All expenses are borne by the insured. Subsequently, the insurer reimburses the amount by sending the invoice. The copayment (amount to be paid by the insurance company) depends on the contract.
copayment - A part of the cost of the service is borne by the insured and another part by the insurer. This modality applies only to health professionals with whom the insurer has a partnership (network).
mixed - It is a mixture of the two previous modes. That is, the person can choose not only the health service in the network, but also outside it.

3. Pay attention to coverage, exclusions and grace periods

As we get older, it is natural that health also changes medical specialties you need to contact Therefore, health insurance can be different seasonings . The following are the most common:

Outpatient - General or specialized clinical consultations.
Stomatology - Consultations and dental treatments.
Recovery - Hospitalization and related needs, for a period greater than 24 hours.
Medications - Required medications. Some items, such as vaccines or over-the-counter medicines, are excluded.
Prosthetics and Orthotics - Devices such as hearing aids, orthopedic implants, glasses, among others.
International medical coverage for serious illnesses - Health services that must be used abroad (hospitalizations, consultations, among others).
second medical opinion - In case of serious illness, the insurer requests a second opinion on diagnosis or treatment.

It is also important to pay attention to the exclusions covered by your health insurance. Finally, do not forget to know what grace period of each specialty.

4. Find out about available capital and associated limits

Each insurance has a capital (amount) available each year. In other words, the insurer is only responsible for the expenses of a certain profession, up to a certain amount. For example, if the expected cost of hospitalization is EUR 20,000, this will be the amount that the insurance company will cover at the end of the year.

Insurance limits can also be defined by the maximum number of consultations, just like a clinic. So try to estimate the ideal limit for each coverage. Predicting the future is impossible, but you can always be careful!

5. Find out how health insurance renewal works

To show your interest in continuing health coverage, simply pay before your renewal date. After that, the policy will update automatically.

However, if you don't want to continue the health insurance you have, not paying is not enough. In accordance with article 118 of Decree No. 72/2008 of April 16, 2008, the cancellation of renewals must be notified in writing to the insurance company (not to be confused with the date) at least 30 days before the date annual renewal of the premium payment. ! ). If you don't operate in these molds, you may be in debt to your insurance company.

The choice of health insurance requires analysis, comparison and reflection. Sometimes choosing low-cost insurance is expensive. Other times, if you can't get 100% higher value coverage, it may not be worth it. Several questions and doubts may arise during this process. But you don't have to decide for yourself. If you need help choosing the best solution for you, contact DS SEGUROS!