What to Look for in a Senior Medical Plan in Georgia?
If you are yourself a senior individual or have elderly parents to take care of in Georgia, you might be looking at different senior medical plans and wondering which option will be the best.
While having an experienced licensed insurance advisor by your side will help you find one of the best senior medical plans in Georgia, knowing what you should be looking for in a plan will be an additional advantage. It will help you enhance your knowledge and educate yourself on what medical benefits you should have.
But, before that, you should know what senior medical plans mean.
Senior Medical Plans
As the name implies, senior medical plans are exclusively devised for people who are 60 years old or above in age.
Like other health insurance plans, a senior medical plan is simply a contract between the insurer and the policyholder. In return for the premium that you will pay to the medical plan organization or insurance company, the insurer will pay for the medical expenses incurred.
The expenses that the insurer covers usually include hospitalization, daycare, cost incurred before and after hospitalization, and other covered expenditures.
Since the risk of getting sick and the need for medical care is higher for senior citizens, the premium amount for senior medical plans is much higher than the medical plans for a younger person.
Now, let’s check out what things you should know about a senior medical plan.
1. Coverage for in-patient hospitalization
Expenses for in-patient hospitalization are paid by the insurer when the policyholder has been admitted to the hospital for more than 24 hours. In this case, the insurer pays all the expenses, including nurse expenditure, fees of doctors and specialists, medicines, etc.
However, many medical plans have sub-limits for certain expenses. For instance, some plans may provide coverage for fees of in-patient hospitalization but have sub-limits on doctor fees. Since the number of hospital stays might be higher for the elderly, it is critical to look for senior medical plans in Georgia that offer maximum coverage for in-patient hospitalization.
2. Total Cost of Care
One of the most important things you must know while shopping for senior medical plans is the total cost that you will be paying out of your pocket. You should think about all kinds of costs, such as deductibles, copayments, maximums, coinsurance, and drug costs. When comparing different senior medical plans, find about all these costs to clearly know what plan you can afford.
3. Network of Healthcare Providers
Most medical plans have a network of healthcare providers that you will have to choose from if you want to benefit from the plan. Discuss with the insurance advisor and the policy provider about how each plan lets you choose healthcare providers. You might want to make sure that your medical plan’s network has providers that are convenient to you.
4. Benefits
While choosing medical plans for the elderly, you should ensure that you get the maximum coverage and medical benefits, including drug, vision, hearing, and dental coverage. If as a policyholder you travel a lot, check out if your plan will cover your medical expenses incurred when you travel.
Comparing different senior medical plans in Georgia based on the above factors will help you make a better choice.