Healthcare coverage can be confusing! There are thousands of plan options, codes and laws that seem to change every year. We are here to help you through the confusion with some simple ways to save on your healthcare expenses outside your monthly premium. (Fun Fact: one of these tips, could even help your premium go down at renewal.) First things first, you are one of the lucky ones, somewhere near 31 million Americans do not have healthcare coverage. Now, what can you do to ease your expenses when it comes to healthcare needs?

1. Understand your coverage: Your healthcare plan is full of documents; the summary plan description (SPD) is the one to focus on. The SPD is a detailed guide to the benefits provided and how the plan works. It is also required to be given to you for free as an enrollee in healthcare coverage. Another option is to speak with a health advocate. A health advocate will help you process all your healthcare coverage related needs. This includes going over the plan, explaining benefits, and helping find a provider if needed. Some plans include a healthcare advocate.

2. Reduce Claims: This is a simple idea in theory, the fewer claims you incur throughout the plan year, the less you are spending out of pocket on co-pays. Reducing your number of claims can also reduce the increase of premiums year over year, helping you save more in the long term as well.

To reduce your claims means you visit the doctor less, but what if you need to see a provider? This is where telehealth benefits are helpful. Most insurance plans include telehealth service but using it still requires a co-pay and can incur a claim! If you need to speak with a medical provider, there are some telehealth plans like those that are part of Prosper Benefits which have $0 co-pay and does not show up as a claim.

There are even benefits where you can speak to not only a physician, but also a counselor and a veterinarian twenty four hours a day seven days a week. These benefits are great to help when it is not an emergency situation, but you need assistance. Keep these types of benefits in mind when looking at your plan options.

3. Prescription Savings: Most plans offer prescription coverage, but what if you were able to save more through a third party app than with your insurance? Well, oftentimes that is the case. It may not always be less than with insurance, but it doesn’t hurt anyone to find out, so be sure to check out the Prosper Benefits prescription plan to see potential savings!

4. Negotiate medical bills: Did you know that you can negotiate a medical bill?! Once a final bill from a provider is received you can call and discuss the expenses, set-up a payment plan, and many times with enough effort receive a discount. The key is knowing where to negotiate. Prosper Benefits includes Medical Bill Consultants that negotiate lower cost bills all the time.

5. Plan with an HSA: If you have a high deductible healthcare plan (HDHP) you can start a Health Savings Account (HSA). An HSA is a tax-advantaged account, owned by an individual, with contributions made to the account by the individual or their employer. Contributions are limited to a yearly maximum. An HSA can help you prepare for those unforeseen healthcare expenses.

Knowing these 5 tips will help you save on your healthcare coverage in the short term by lowering claim dollars spent (out of pocket costs) and in the long term, come renewal time. As a NAPS member if you have any questions about your options NAPS360Healthcare.com is here to assist. NAPS360Healthcare.com includes options like Prosper Benefits which empowers you to make responsible decisions, giving you control of your healthcare.