Health insurance is an integral component of financial security for both individuals and families. Covering medical expenses helps mitigate financial stressors. Unfortunately, claiming health insurance can be complex and time consuming process – in this article we outline 8 simple steps that will enable you to successfully claim health insurance for your family – from understanding your coverage to filing claims – you’ll feel secure that they have all of their needs taken care of!
1. Inform Insurance Company After Admission
First step of claiming health insurance: notify your insurance company as soon as you or a family member has been admitted for medical care. Notifying them as quickly after admission as possible can ensure timely payment of claims and could help ensure timely payment for claims submitted later on. Your insurer may have specific instructions regarding how they wish for you to notify them about hospital admission; follow those directions closely if that’s the case for you.
2. Fill The Reimbursement Form
Reimbursement forms allow you to claim reimbursement from your insurance company. They may recommend one specifically, so follow its instructions on how to complete it; or any document which allows you to provide all of the information your insurer requires.
Make sure to include the following information when filling out your reimbursement form: – Your name and contact info – Name and policy number of your insurance company – Name and location of doctor or hospital you visited – Description of medical services received – Amount paid towards them – Reducing amount due from insurance – And any other requests your insurer makes of you.
3. Collect Original Reports And Bills
Collating original reports and bills for your health insurance claim is one of the most essential steps of this process. They provide crucial information that your insurer needs in order to process it, so when collecting original reports and bills be sure to: – make copies – store original reports safely – ensure doctor and hospital have access to originals during claim processing.
4. Submit Discharge Summary
A discharge summary provides an outline of your stay at the hospital, detailing its diagnosis and prognosis, in order to help health insurance providers determine how much to pay out in claims payments. When it comes time to submit it, keep these tips in mind when submitting: – Make sure your hospital provides it; and – Check that the summary is comprehensive and accurate.
5. Submit Doctor’s Prescription
A doctor’s prescription is written by your physician for any care you require at home following hospital discharge, providing instructions to your insurance company on what care to provide at home. A prescription from your physician provides vital information that helps them assess what types of assistance is necessary and expedites claims processing.
As you submit your doctor’s prescription for home care services, keep these considerations in mind: – Confirm with your physician they have written one; and – Confirm that it has been legibly written down.
6. Submit Post Hospitalization Bills
Post hospitalisation bills, which include bills for care provided at home after leaving the hospital, are an integral component of health insurance claims. They provide information for how much to pay your claim. When you submit post hospitalisation bills, keep these points in mind: * Make sure all payments have been made * Verify bills are in your name * Confirm they pertain specifically to post hospitalisation care
7. Take A Follow-Up
After you have submitted your health insurance claim, take steps to follow-up with your insurer in order to ensure they have all of the information they require in order to process it quickly and efficiently. A follow-up may be suggested or even required of you, and in such instances make sure to follow up immediately so as to expedite processing of your claim as quickly as possible.
At your follow-up meeting, ensure you ask the following questions: – How long is my company expected to take to process my claim? What information are they still need from me? And finally: “How can I track the progress of my claim?” Even if your insurance company does not require or suggest following up, it is still wise to do so as a follow-up will enable you to track its progression while making sure your claim is handled appropriately.
8. Claim Settlement
Once your insurance company processes your health insurance claim, it will issue a settlement offer. A settlement offer outlines how much they will offer to settle it and should be carefully considered; once received, make sure to review it carefully before signing and returning any paperwork associated with it.
If you are unhappy with the settlement offer from your insurance company, negotiate to try and secure a better offer. Once an agreement has been made on terms for the settlement offer, sign and submit all paperwork as needed – Congratulations on successfully claiming health insurance for yourself or family!
Also Read : What You Need To Know Before Buying Life Insurance
Conclusion
Health insurance is essential to individuals and families alike, providing financial protection from the cost of healthcare which can often be extremely high. With health insurance comes a claims process which can often be confusing and time consuming; with these seven simple steps you can successfully claim health coverage for yourself or your family and ensure they have everything they require.
