Buying and having health insurance coverage is a critical part of life. One has to choose the most suitable package that is within their means. Diabetes patients have a more challenging time identifying a favourable option that suits all their specific needs. Getting an insurance plan that covers all your needs, is cost-friendly, and flexible enough to incorporate your physician’s location is not an easy task.

Therefore, doing research and making inquiries before committing is imperative. Here are some helpful tips for choosing insurance if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes:

1. What diabetes specific treatments or services does the plan provide?
Before settling for any insurance coverage, consider the treatment that will cover your health issues entirely (diabetes related services and treatments). What treatment details will be covered, and how often will each doctor’s visit cost you in co-insurance? Knowing these details will help you plan appropriately according to your specific health needs and what the plan covers. Ideally, the health coverage you choose should remove a massive share of the health costs for diabetes treatment items like medical devices, testing supplies, lab tests, and prescriptions.

2. Does the plan offer doctor and hospital preference?
Some health plans may restrict patients on the health facilities they go to for treatment. This arrangement is typically due to the negotiated charges with facilities, since caregivers have a contract with the insurance company to charge patients fairly. However, some patients have a preference on the doctors and hospitals that treat them. However, if these specific doctors and hospitals are not covered by the insurance network, you may have to switch healthcare teams. Some health insurance companies may refuse to pay for any treatments outside of their network as far as doctors and health facilities so make sure to check before signing up.

3. Costs associated with a health insurance plan
Health insurance for patients with diabetes has a broad scope and each type of health insurance has varied specifications. You have to choose whether to pay high premiums and reduced payments when you visit the doctor, or vice versa. Choosing the package that suits your budget is essential to avoid financial strain following treatment. PPOs, HDHPs, and HMOs are all different kinds of health insurance with varying plans of payment depending on your pocket book.

4. Does the plan cover specialist referrals?
Every once in a while, diabetes patients may get referred to a specialist (i.e., endocrinologist) for checkups and specialized treatments. It is vital to ask upfront how these referrals will impact your payment plan, and if the insurance company will help in covering costs if the specialist is outside their network.

5. Will the plan cover diabetes specific medications?
Insurance for diabetics should include their medication, such as insulin, since it can be quite costly. Some insurance coverage excludes diabetic-specific drugs, thus forcing the patient to incur the high cost of buying them. The best option would be to look for a health insurance plan that includes medication coverage under the co-insurance. This way, yoru insurance place offers relief from the considerable financial burden of medication costs.

6. Questions and appeals
Additionally, the insurance provider you choose should have a keen interest in their consumers. how to appeal to the insurance company if the need arises. While it may seem exhausting work to get the right insurance plan for your diabetic loved one, it is worth the effort to have an insurance provider who offers good customer service to answer questions and clearly stipulates how to appeal a denied health claim.