When you purchase a health insurance plan, it’s common to assume that the costs and benefits of the plan are fixed. But because of the way that many insurers limit spending, the time of year when you visit the doctor has an enormous impact on the value you get from your plan. Typically, this means that the more care you receive toward the end of the year, the more you will get for your premiums. Thus as the holidays approach, consider the following:

Going Beyond Your Deductible

If you already reached your deductible, now is the time to stock up on medical goods and services. Obtain all the medicines, devices and other products you’ll have to buy during the year, provided that they’ll last long enough for you to use them. The more you buy now, the less you’ll have to spend later. 

Obtaining All Gratuitous Services

Many health plans provide services that do not contribute to your deductible, especially diagnostic and consultation ones. Get these before the year’s end. Even though they won’t directly save you money next year, they increase your odds of finding health issues early. If you do find such a problem, you can begin treatment before your deductible resets, reducing or even eliminating the cost of overcoming it.

Examining Your FSA

FSAs, or flexible spending accounts, allow you to shield a certain amount of money from taxes by earmarking it for health expenses. Check to see how much money you have left in this account, as well as how much of it you can roll over. It may be worth spending what’s left before the year is out.

Southeast Orthopedic Specialists accepts insurance from Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, BeechStreet, CareFirst and a myriad of other providers. For more information on making the most of your medical care in Northeast Florida, visit our website today.