Springtime means warmer weather, spring break vacation, outside activities, and allergies. The biggest spring allergy trigger is pollen. Trees, grasses, and weeds release grains that get into your nose and wreak havoc on your body. What should be an enjoyable season can turn into a miserable period of health problems.
What’s worse, however, is when your health insurance policy doesn’t cover health conditions related to your allergies. As a result, your medical costs skyrocket in the spring (or throughout the year), making you wonder if your policy is worth it. Below, we look at health insurance coverage for allergies and what is available for you this spring.
What Allergy Medical Treatment or Services Does Health Insurance Cover?
Allergies can range from mild irritations to crippling or life-threatening health conditions. Health insurance plans offer a wide range of coverage options to help patients with chronic conditions.
Allergy Testing
If your allergy symptoms last longer than two weeks, you should consider allergy testing. Most insurance plans cover allergy testing. If you’ve met your deductible for the year, your out-of-pocket costs could be minimal or zero. How much you pay out of pocket depends on the testing.
Allergy Shot
Allergy shots are typically covered by most health insurance providers, though this may vary depending on your specific plan. Even if your shots are covered by insurance, you still may have to pay a copay for each visit. This cost may be cheaper for some than the total price of over-the-counter medications and other sick visits related to hay fever symptoms.
Allergy Medication
You can get prescriptions for serious allergy-related conditions or over-the-counter meds for lighter issues when it comes to allergy medication. Health insurance covers prescription allergy medications like Astepro, Dymista, Nasonex, and Flonase, but it does not pay for OTC allergy meds like Benadryl, Claritin, or Allegra.
Emergency Care or Medical Procedures
Some allergies can lead to severe reactions known as anaphylaxis. Reactions may require emergency medical care or even high-level medical procedures. Your health insurance should cover treatment for these types of reactions or medical conditions.
What Type of Health Insurance Plan Is Best if I Have Allergies?
One of the consequences of allergies is that patients usually require ongoing treatment and testing throughout the year. As a result, the cost of care adds up quickly. So, when choosing a health insurance plan, you need to consider the type of care you need and how often you need it.
When you compare health insurance plans, your first impulse may be to choose a plan with lower monthly premiums. But those plans will have higher copays and deductibles. Do not base your decision only on the premiums and deductibles when you compare plans.
Instead, pick a plan that best suits your healthcare needs based on the overall cost. Do you need frequent doctor visits or routine allergy medications? If so, a plan with a low monthly premium could be the more expensive option. Depending on the plan, you can face unanticipated costs due to:
- high deductibles
- copays
- drugs not being on an approved list
These out-of-pocket costs will end up with you taking on a greater financial burden. It is especially true if you have a chronic condition such as asthma or severe allergies.
Find a Health Insurance Broker to Help You Find the Right Plan
A chronic condition such as allergies or asthma can complicate your health insurance coverage, as there are several factors to consider – medical testing, medication, allergy shots, and other costs. For this reason, your best bet is to find a dependable health insurance broker who can help you find the right plan and keep you updated on needed changes to your policy.
A broker can help you save money in key areas such as treatment and testing. They can also make sure that you have a plan covering your specific needs. Any time you have a question about your policy or want to change plans or providers, your broker can guide you through the process.
Contact Insurance Enterprise for Premier Health Insurance
If you have questions about group or individual health insurance and need health insurance quotes, contact Insurance Enterprise at 888-350-6605. Speak to a licensed agent and find out more about how you can get an affordable health insurance plan.