What All American Women Must Know About Health Insurance

The fairer sex tends to use more health care services than men. This is mainly because women have children or need to prevent pregnancy.

On the other hand, women also have a harder time finding affordable coverage, and are more likely than men to go without coverage.

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Fortunately for women, in 2014 health insurance companies will no longer be allowed to charge women more for health insurance than men. Also women can no longer be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions, including pregnancy.

This will be a huge breakthrough for women who are unable to afford individual health insurance or have gone without coverage in the past.

Women need to look out for the following about health insurance, reports wxyz.com

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Pregnancy

1. Do not assume that group health insurance gives you maternity coverage. Only 66 percent of group health plans cover 100 percent of maternity costs. There will be out-of-pocket expenses here.

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2. Customers of individual health insurance must find a plan with maternity coverage or with a maternity rider.

3. You need coverage before you get pregnant. It is still legal for health insurance companies to deny women coverage if they are already pregnant in a majority of states.

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4. If you are pregnant and don’t have health insurance, you may either be eligible for Medicaid or the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) in your state. But there are certain requirements to be eligible for the plan.

Birth Control

5. When looking for an individual plan, understand the copayment cost for birth control or a certain type of birth control you currently take.

6. Birth control will be available with no copayment starting January 1, 2013, due to health care reform.

Infertility Treatment

7. Infertility treatment is not covered by a majority of health insurance plans. Currently only 27 percent of group health plans completely cover infertility treatment. Only 15 states have laws requiring infertility treatment. They are: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, West Virginia.

Preventive Care

8. There are now many free preventive services that women can utilize:

Breast cancer mammography screenings for women over 40, cervical cancer screening, Anemia screening for pregnant women, and Folic acid supplements for pregnant women.

Preventive services available for plans starting on or after August 1, 2012:

Breastfeeding support, counseling and supplies, well-woman visits, gestational diabetes screening for women 24 to 28 weeks pregnant who are at high risk.

Source-Medindia