What a Health Plan Should Feel Like in the New Year

It’s a new year and with it, many Americans are planning out their preventive care visits to make the most of their high-deductible health plans. It can be a stressful process, and many people find themselves in the position of needing to weigh the risk of getting needed care with the costs involved.

Health providers often see a jump in business near the end of the year as people flock to hospitals and clinics to fit in their essential procedures and appointments before Jan. 1 – only after they’ve met their annual insurance deductible. This has created a potentially harmful cycle where individuals and families are basing their important health care decisions on the calendar year, rather than when they need to or should be seeing a provider.

Health issues don’t follow a set schedule and individuals should be able to get care whenever they need it, year-round. This is where Gravie Comfort members have an advantage: they have peace of mind knowing they have 100% coverage for most common healthcare services any time of year. Instead of spending the start of a new year stressing about how to hedge their healthcare bets for the months ahead, or trying to hold off on healthcare services until later in the year to avoid getting penalized, Comfort members can relax and focus on their health. They know their Gravie Comfort health plan empowers them to get the care they need, when they need it.

What Counts as Preventative?

What kinds of common healthcare services might Gravie Comfort members be interested in utilizing this year? It can run the gamut from visits to their primary care doctor, skin checks at the dermatologist, screenings and chronic disease management. While most health plans will only cover the required baseline preventative care services before the deductible is met, Comfort is distinct in that individuals can receive full coverage on most common healthcare services from day one.

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

There’s no shortage of research proving the link between preventative care and better health outcomes. Individuals who receive regular preventive care have drastically longer lifespans and can better prevent chronic disease, including conditions that can be costly to manage over time.

Take one recent example of a Comfort member who, after years of skipping her annual skin check at the dermatologist, was enabled to get care because she knew the visit was covered under Comfort.

“I’ve delayed regular melanoma screenings for years but decided to see a dermatologist this year, primarily because Comfort coverage made me feel confident that I wouldn’t get stuck with a surprise bill. Turns out I had several abnormal/precancerous moles – one which required a follow up procedure to remove additional tissue. My final biopsy results came back free and clear of abnormal cells! Thanks for helping me avoid melanoma – a serious and completely preventable condition.”

Employers Benefit from Preventive Care Utilization, Too

And for employers? Covering preventive care saves a lot of money in the long run. With higher preventative care utilization, emergency room visits and other costly healthcare services decrease. And again, regular primary care can prevent costly chronic conditions before they start. With Comfort, employers can directly reap the benefits of these cost savings with a refund check at the end of the year.

As individuals across America refocus on their health this year, Gravie Comfort members can feel confident knowing that their health plan will support them in achieving their health goals, rather than deter them from seeking the care they need. Want to learn more? Visit www.gravie.com/gravie-comfort/.