When you work for an organization that offers a great health plan benefit, you definitely want to take advantage of keeping up with your health and making the most of the opportunities afforded to you. Cigna recently came out with a reference tool with where I learned how to make the most of my family’s health plan.
Mid-Year Health Check-in Tips…
We all strive to be smart about our spending. As healthcare costs continue to rise, here are a few
things you can do to make sure your health plan is working hard for you and your family.
PLAN. We’re often great at budgeting household expenses like our mortgage, groceries or vacations, but
many of us don’t think about budgeting for healthcare expenses. The more you can anticipate upcoming
costs, the more you can save while still receiving the high quality care you expect for you and your family.
- Spend one night reviewing your healthcare expenses. Know what you have spent to-date and think about what your future costs may be. For example, will anyone need glasses or braces next year? Knowing what your current spending habits are and what your future costs may be, can help you budget accordingly.
PREPARE. There are a few things that you can do now to ensure you’re prepared to make quick decisions
when the time is appropriate.
- Know where the nearest urgent care facility is. These facilities provide the same quality of care for non-emergent conditions as an ER, but have shorter wait times and are typically less expensive.
- Check your health plan to see if they offer a 24/7 nurse hotline to provide you with health-related advice around the clock.
- Keep the phone number handy for your local pharmacy. Details can be called in quickly, right from the doctor’s office, saving time.
PREVENT. Taking advantage of preventative services offered by your health plan could mean the
difference between life and early death.
- Visit your doctor each year for a checkup – make the appointment on a memorable day so you remember each year to go! Also, take advantage of the free services offered, such as access to dieticians and nurses, who can answer questions and provide advice.
After reading the tips from Cigna, I realized how much we don’t do too much of planning ahead. As sensitive of a subject that health can be in a household, being cognizant of the big picture ahead so that we can plan for the future health of our family (just like we would for our children’s future college education or that future dream home we would love to one day own) should equally be a priority in our bucket list of things to do.
My husband and I sat down and discussed where we were at with our mid-year health reviews and began creating a calendar of health events that need to happen among the six of us and then discussed possible health concerns with the children and each other to better plan for expenses that we never once thought to factor into our budget. We made sure that all of the children’s annual examinations were up-to-date or scheduled so that we can just plug the appointments into our iPhones with reminders and not have to worry about preventative maintenance until the time has come. And we made sure that we were taking advantage of every benefit available to us through our employers by attending any company workshops or counseling sessions that can help us better understand the perks our jobs have to offer.
We encourage you to visit the Cigna YouTube page for more information, and check out this video:
I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Cigna. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.
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