How does health insurance work?

Okay, quick question...What's harder than figuring out how health insurance works? Maybe lassoing your neighbor's cat? Or teaching your grandma how to send a text message #yourphoneisupsidedown? Nope. 

Maneuvering health insurance is harder, but let's see if we can clear it up a bit. You start by choosing a a health insurance company to protect your family in the event you have medical expenses you couldn't possibly afford. You pick a health plan and pay your monthly premium. Most insurance covers the same core of medical services, but every plan has a different level of how much you pay for medical care and how much insurance pays.

 Here's some good news when you need care. If you're a Blue Cross member, you'll enjoy discounts at most health care providers in Kansas. In some cases, our contracts with doctors and hospitals can reduce your medical bills by up to 50% before you have to pay. After discounts are applied to your bill, you pay a certain amount before insurance payments kick in. We call that a deductible. Once you reach your deductible, you pay a certain percentage of your medical expenses and insurance pays a larger percentage. That's called coinsurance and it's another advantage of having Blue Cross coverage that keeps you from paying most of the bill. So that's the skinny on health insurance. It's definitely easier to figure out than say, breaking Uncle Chet's mechanical bull record, or flossing for 30 days straight. But, if you have more questions, or there's anyway we can help, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is here for you.