Now that you have a medical insurance plan in Texas, there are several ways to help keep your out of pocket expenses in line with your budget.
Whether your Texas medical plan includes a PPO (preferred provider organization) or an HMO (health maintenance organization) your costs will be lower when you chose a doctor and hospital that is within network. Not sure if your chosen provider is within your health insurance network? When you call to make your appointment, the physician’s office staff should be able to help you, just have your medical insurance plan card for reference.
Your medical insurance plan should also provide prescription coverage. Like many things, you’ll get the best deal when you choose generic options. Generic prescriptions have the same formulary as brand-name alternatives, without the expensive marketing costs. Because of that, they are much cheaper for the consumer. Be sure to tell your physician you would prefer generic options whenever possible.
One of the most expensive options for care is the hospital emergency room. Most Texas health insurance plans have a minimum deductible for emergency room visits. You can help avoid those costs by choosing to visit your regular physician whenever possible. In a life-threatening emergency, of course the emergency room should be your first line of defense.
