Stretch Your Health Insurance

By Allison Sass

As Shikole mentioned in a previous post, living without health insurance can be scary and costly if you don't have the strongest immune system. But even when you receive the "golden ticket" of health insurance from that first full-time job you land- you're not out of the woods.

For those of you who have relied on your parent's insurance plans, you might be unfamiliar with the idea of copays, or paying for any type of dr.'s visit for that matter (believe me, I was in the same boat until I made the decision to work after graduation instead of attend grad school.)  Don't be fooled by ignorance- medical related costs can add up!

Here are a few ways to make your current health insurance plan stretch!

Read up! - Know what your copays are so that you are prepared when visiting a doctor. Specialist copays are normally twice as much as primary physician copays, so choose the type of doctor you plan on seeing accordingly.

Check with your local gym- The gym I'm about to join actually has a perk where your sign up fees are waived if you have an insurance card. Perks like these will save you money, and working out regularly will preserve your body.

Don't think you can afford a gym membership? Consult your insurance company and see if they will cover all or part of your yearly membership. Blue Cross Blue Shield covers up to 300 dollars in fitness related expenses.

Prevent, prevent, prevent!- On many insurance plans, basic dental visits are covered in full under insurance, but fillings and additional surgery are only half covered, or not covered at all. If you remember to brush your teeth and maintain your personal hygiene you will end up saving yourself money in the long run.

Take care of your entire body, and you will be healthier and have more cash to spare!