Toward the end of the year, when you may have used up your deductible, it's a good time to look into health care services you have been putting off. | Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio
Toward the end of the year, when you may have used up your deductible, it's a good time to look into health care services you have been putting off. | Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio
• Most Americans who get health insurance through their employer have an annual deductible.
• You can save money during the last few months of the year by taking advantage of your health insurance if you've already met your deductible.
• Most health insurance plans cover allergy testing and treatment.
Many people try to save cash by shopping on Black Friday, but they could be saving more money this holiday season by making the most of their health insurance if they've already met their deductible, according to Dr. Manish Khanna of Capitol Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.
He said people seeking treatment for allergies have multiple options and pointed out that techniques have become more patient-friendly and less invasive.
“In skin testing now the needles that are used are very tiny and tolerated extremely well,” Khanna told Montgomery News. “Patients just have to be off their antihistamine medications for 10 days prior, and that is probably more the issue with patients, as opposed to any discomfort from the procedure itself. In that case, then we send patients for what's called RAST testing. It's a blood test to look for allergens as well, but the preferred method really is to test the patient directly and to do skin testing, which is tolerated very well and it's relatively fast."
According to a Kaiser Family Foundation study, 85% of Americans who have health insurance coverage through their employer were required to meet a deductible before the plan would pay for most services, with a single coverage deductible of $2,379 for people employed with small companies. Employees at large companies had an average deductible of $1,397, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation survey.
Stamford Health also noted that once the deductible has been met, families can take advantage of the situation by scheduling medical visits at the end of the year, rather than waiting until the new year. This can include an annual physical and refilling regular prescriptions. It can include lab work, diagnostic testing, colonoscopies for people over 45 and mammograms for women over 40.
Allergy treatments and testing should be covered once a deductible has been met, and the services may be obtained at little or no cost, according to Family Allergy. This can enable patients to prepare for spring allergies during the winter. If you are diagnosed with allergies, you can begin allergy shots or immunotherapy before your deductible resets, thereby saving money.
If you're interested in learning more about diagnosis or treatment of allergies, please take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.
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