The ABCs of health insurance.

While this post has been sponsored by Access Better Coverage and PhRMA, all opinions are always my own.

Health insurance is so important. I’ve really come to appreciate that during my travels overseas when there is always that nagging thought in the back of my mind of, “what if.”What if something happened to me and I had no health insurance to cover the costs. What if I get sick? Do I go to the doctor’s office or do I try to treat it with over the counter remedies first? Although I knew it wasn’t permanent, that feeling of insecurty never left me.

Thankfully, I’m back in the states with an even bigger appreciation for the basics, like health insurance. But, I know that being covered is just the first step. With open enrollment starting on November 1st (for 2016 coverage) now is the time to learn what your options are, and how to best use your insurance once you have it. If you prefer reading your news in Spanish like my mom, then you must take a look at the Access Better Coverage en Español website where you will find videos, a glossary of commonly used medical words, and checklists to use as you go through the process of selecting and then using your insurance.

Cost is usually a big deciding factor for most families, and the ABCs en Español website helps you to understand how costs are calculated, including these 5 questions to ask about your prescription medicine coverage which are:

1. ¿Están cubiertos por mi plan deseguro los medicamentos recetados que yo tomo regularmente? Are my regular prescriptions covered by my insurance plans?
2. ¿Cuánto tendré que pagar fuera de mi bolsillo ante que mis medicamentos estén cubiertos? How much will I have to pay out of pocket before my medicines are covered?
3. ¿Qué tanto tendré aún que pagar fuera de mi bolsillo, por mis medicamentos, después de pagar la prima y alcanzar mi deducible?How much will I have to pay out of pocket for my medicines after paying my premiums and meeting my deductible?
4. ¿Debo obtener aprobación previa o pasar por terapia escalonada, para lograr que mis medicamentos sean cubiertos? Will I have to get prior approval or through step therapy to get my medicine covered?
5. ¿Está mi farmacia preferida en la red de mi plan? Is my preferred pharmacy in my plan’s network?

I confess, health insurance may not be the most exciting topic to read about, but it does matter for your health, and for the health of your loved ones. By taking a few minutes out of your day and browsing the ABCs en Español website, you’ll learn just about everything you need to know to make the process easier to manage. Don’t wait until an emergency and learn what your rights and benefits are today!