Every week we interview people who spend their working days focused on health benefits and healthcare we ask them what they know now that they wish every healthcare consumer knew. Buckle your seatbelt. This should be over by the time you get to the grocery store.

It's a Start...

Tune in for some high-level guidance to determine if a high deductible health plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA) is a smart choice. And, if you are a Pearl Jam fan you can sing the episode title to the tune of Jeremy if you’d like!

Jerame Spoke on HSAs (and high deductible plans)

Marisa has worked in the healthcare industry for more than 22 years and she feels really strongly about her Explanation Of Benefits (EOBs) and getting in good with her sister-in-law. Marisa shares why an EOB should be read, even if it’s electronic. #gogreen 

You can follow our podcast on Twitter @UndrTheCoverage

New Years Resolution 2022: Impress Sister-in-Law with EOB-Reading Skillz

Does your employer offer more than one health plan? Overwhelmed and need some direction? We get it. Listen in as Carey helps guide you through what you need to think about to make the right decision and pick the plan that’s best for you and your wallet.

Choosing a Health Plan

Read your medical bills like you would any other bill. Billers and coders are human too. And if you’re in a high deductible plan, you become keenly aware of the cost of billed services. And, if you’re at a bonfire, don’t discuss your medical benefits but do talk about this podcast.

Bonfires & Medical Bills

Hello, Nurse! In this episode Jolene and Sara talk to a nurse who also has health benefits. Anita shares how she advises patients she talks to during her workday and the importance of advocating for the patient.

No News is Not Always Good News

Abigail shares what prior authorizations are and how to protect yourself. She also lets us know why you’re being asked if you have “other insurance” which is referred to COB or Coordination of Benefits in the industry.

Prior Authorization and COBeasts

Nurses are a force. They bring skill, compassion, and commitment to their role – whether they’re in a medical office, a hospital, or an insurance company. Meet Nick to learn why you might benefit from talking to one.

Nurse Chat

If you’re between the ages of 18 and 25 or if you’re the parent of an 18-25 year old, listen up! Carey helps our listeners figure out if and when younger adults should change benefit plans.

Feeling 23

When we're at the doctor's office, a lot of information is sometimes thrown at us in a short time. We may have questions but hesitate to ask for various reasons. But asking questions can save you some money. Al Lewis shared so many great tips we just kept recording and the listeners win. Al talks about a product through preTRM.com and about managing ER bills. You can learn more about Quizzify at www.quizzify.com/about

Pregnancy & ER Bills

Sara and Jolene promised short episodes and this one runs a little longer but it’s worth it. Having conversations around end-of-life planning are not easy and the paperwork that accompanies them doesn’t make it any easier. Teresa talks about the documents you’ll want to have on hand and she shares why end of life conversations are vital to living. In this episode Teresa references two books: Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande and Elisabeth Kubler-Ross' book On Death & Dying.

The Dirt on Health Care Proxy and End of Life Conversations

Have you ever considered Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) as an alternative to crowns or fillings? There may be a silver lining to Silver Diamine.  Listen in to learn about a treatment option to ask your dentist about. Al Lewis of Quizzify joins Sara and Jolene to talk teeth. Visit www.quizzify.com to learn more about Quizzify.

There's more than one way to fill a tooth

Your body, YOUR information! Requesting your medical records, copies of scans, and test results should be a common occurrence. Armed with this information you can save yourself from unnecessary duplication of services. Your records are also a great way to help a provider fill in the gaps between your last visit or when you transition from a different provider. Join Jolene (who reads her blood test results online at 1 a.m.) and Sara, WebMD (who has a scan of her foot in her office drawer) as they chat with Dr. Adnaan Sheriff who shares what he wishes all his patients knew.

What's Up Doc?

Managing a new diagnosis involves a steep learning curve. Being diagnosed with a chronic condition while pregnant adds a new layer of complexity. And when it all happens at the start of a new plan year...well...we’ll let Jamie guide you through that.

Navigating the Perfect Storm

Life gets real when you welcome a bundle of joy to your world.  Part of this new reality also includes assessing health plan coverage and benefits. Pete joined Jolene and Sara to discuss what happens to your benefits when you’re planning for a new addition to the family. It’s smart to evaluate how you think you’ll use your benefits before you pick your plan. And, it’s ok to change plans from year to year. As a dad in the industry, he’s trodden this well-worn path.

Babies & Benefit Plans

Little help, please! There is so much to unpack when it comes to deciding if reimbursement benefits are right for you – and which option to choose. Reimbursement benefits offset expenses by setting aside pre-tax funds to pay for account-eligible expenses. FSAs, HSAs, and HRAs have a lot of rules around them that can make a reimbursement account tricky to use. Jolene and Sara are joined by resident-expert Prisilla who helps us figure out what to ask HR or your plan administrator so we can all use our plans better.

FSA, HRA, & HSA, Oh my!

Welcome to the Land of Confusion. Pro: Your employer provides a benefit plan that offers a reimbursement account and you want to participate. Con: Sometimes the frustration you experience with the plan makes the benefit feel less beneficial and more problematic. Who needs that? We asked Jerame to come back and talk to us about what happens at the end of a plan year. It’s helpful to understand if your plan has rollover or runout and if it includes a grace period.

Grace Periods, Rollover, Carryover and Runout

Precertification and prior authorization. What is it? When is it needed? Who is responsible for obtaining it? In this episode, Charlene helps Sara and Jolene answers some of these confusing questions and Sara is still talking about the problem with her foot!

These Boots Are Made for Walking...and They May Have Required Precertification

Looking for guidance on how to build a benefit plan that works for you and your employees? Listen up! In this bonus episode, Jolene and Sara speak to Niko Caparisos of Prosperity Benefits about building a benefit plan for small businesses. You don’t need 1,000 employees to get a plan that works for you.

Bonus Episode: Benefits for Small Business

You See Your PCP? Yeah, You Know Me!

Have you ever had a medication, benefit or medical visit denied by your plan? Can you appeal a decision? How do you know ? Join us and learn more about what you can do.

I Don't Want a New Drug

This week Jolene and Sara (who is somehow broadcasting from a submarine) are joined by Todd who helps them understand the difference between deductible, copay, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximum. A deductible is the amount a member must spend out of pocket prior to the insurance plan covering a portion of the expenses. Coinsurance is the portion of the benefit expense the member is responsible for (e.g.: 20% for a service) after the deductible has been met. A copay is a flat fee for service (e.g. $25 for specialist visits). Short story is that coinsurance is a percentage paid for services and a copy is a flat dollar amount paid for services. Your out-of-pocket maximum is always more than your deductible and is inclusive of all plan spend including copays, deductibles, and coinsurance.

50 Shades of Insurance Grey - Deductible, Copay, Coinsurance and Out-of-Pocket Maximums

FSAs are a “sleeper benefit” - in a world where the price of everything seems to be increasing before our eyes – a medical FSA can save you money on items you’re buying anyway. The key is, understanding what’s eligible so you can take advantage of the savings with as little frustration as possible.

Understanding Your FSA: It Covers More than Co-Pays and Compression Stockings

Is your medical network the same as your plan administrator? Do you know what medical network you use and how to find an in-network provider? Do you have more than one network you can use? In this episode we talk to Todd about how you can answer some of these questions just by looking at your ID card. And once you know what these logos mean, you can have better conversations to guide staff at the point of service to be sure your plan doesn’t cause more headaches.

Logo Land - Making Sense of ID Card Logos

Helping people become healthy and well is one of Steph’s passions. We second that, which is why we invited him to join us to discuss his background story and shed light on how important it is to utilize your benefits properly. At the end of the day, you’re paying for these services. Leveraging experience and advocacy can positively impact your health outcomes. Listen up!

Becoming an Educated Consumer of Health Care

Do you want to learn more about the hottest couple in health insurance? Getting familiar with your benefit summary and ID card can help you out in the long run. During this episode we chat with Alicia about benefit summaries, ID cards, and walk through three network-related situations you may find yourself in.

To Have and to Hold: Benefit Summaries and ID Cards

High deductible health plans with health savings accounts can feel overwhelming. On one hand, the plan cost is usually less than that of a traditional copay plan but then you remember you may have to lay out a lot of money up front before your plan’s copays kick in. Jenelle shares how she started building funds in her HSA a little at a time over time and how she thinks about health care expenses.

Health Savings Accounts – A Secret Stash

You head to the doctor for a routine appointment. A claim is born! In this episode Barb chats with us about a medical claim’s journey in the health care delivery system. It isn’t always a simple process but having a baseline understanding of how a claim gets processed might help you gain insight into industry timelines and requirements.

The Life of a Medical Claim

When you think of behavioral health and substance use services, you most likely don’t think to call your health insurance company. Here’s a secret: You can. And you should! Did you know there is a team of people working at your health insurance company who can help link you to in-network resources if you’re in need of mental health guidance and support? Registered Nurses, Corrine and Molly share insights on the processes put in place that help members navigate behavioral health and substance use treatment options through the lens of their medical benefit plan.

Assembling the Puzzle: Navigating Mental Health Needs and Health Benefits...

If there was a course in high school or college to help us understand how medical benefits work and what the terms mean, maybe we’d be better equipped to navigate health care systems. In this episode, Kyla talks to us about the questions she asks providers to avoid unnecessary cost, seeking the most cost-effective treatments for herself, and how she manages conversations around the cost of prescription drugs.

Medical Benefits 101

Lower levels of literacy, English as a second language, transitioning to the United States from a foreign country – all of these factors make it increasingly more difficult to understand and use medical benefits. Abby Grainge works as a family nurse practitioner at Jericho Road Community Health Center in Buffalo, NY and is also the medical director of Vive, Jericho Road’s shelter for asylum seekers. She joined the podcast to talk about the unique challenges the US health care system poses for those new to the country.

Literacy Levels Impact Health

Congratulations, you’re hired! When you get a job offering health benefits it’s important to understand the basics. Where do you go if you’re sick? How much will it cost? Which physicians and facilities are in-network and what does that even mean? Jerame volunteers for a workplace readiness program where he often addresses health insurance questions. And he has some advice for you...

Understanding the Basics of Your Health Plan

When you picture a nurse, you might envision a hospital or physician’s office. But nurses also work in a clinical capacity for health plan administrators. Lorene wants the world to know she and her team and other nurses in the industry work hard to walk with members on their journey to better health. In this episode she discusses how nurses work to help members, how they help patients who may face barriers to care, and why she what she does.

Your Health Plan is Calling

Understanding health insurance benefits Ugh. Obviously, it’s stressful and we often find out we’re learning at the most vulnerable time – when we or one of our dependents are sick or are not feeling well. There’s nothing worse than trying to make sense of something when you are feeling your worst. Tracey joins the podcast to help us walk through how she has learned to get in front of the problem by understanding what’s not covered before the bill comes in!

Not in the Coverage

We talk to people who work behind the scenes but are also consumers of healthcare. We ask them what they know now that they wish every healthcare consumer knew. Find us on Twitter @UndrTheCoverage or send us a question to podcast@novahealthcare.com

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