Congratulations on your new health insurance policy! Not only are you going to be protected against potentially costly medical expenses this year, but if you keep your coverage the entire year you will avoid the new California state tax penalty! So now that you have your new policy, what’s next? Here are a few tips to help you get acquainted with your new policy and make sure that everything is ready to work for you when the time comes.

Get your cards

Keep an eye on your mailbox for your insurance cards! This is what you will use when you visit a doctor, urgent care, or pharmacy, so it’s important to make sure you keep your card in your wallet or purse so that you have it when you need it! If you signed up just recently, you may have to wait until your policy kicks in before receiving it in the mail. If you haven’t received your card yet and you feel like you should have, then reach out directly to your insurance carrier, like Anthem, Oscar or Kaiser, and let them know that you did not receive it. Unfortunately we cannot help you get your card from your carrier.

Create your online account with your carrier

It’s a digital age we live in, and your insurance carrier likely has an online portal and possibly even a mobile app that you can use to access information like medical records, test results, and even schedule appointments. Once you receive your card with your policy information, you should be able to  create an online account with your carrier and get familiar with the tools and features that your account grants you.

Get familiar with your doctors and facilities

If you did not change your carrier or your policy this year, then you likely have access to the same doctors and facilities as in the past. However, the insurance companies frequently add and drop hospitals and doctors from their networks, so it’s always best to make sure you know where you can go and who you can see. Once you create your online account with your carrier, you should be able to search for ERs, urgent cares, primary care physicians, specialists and pharmacies that are in your network. If you are on a PPO, then you will have more flexibility here, but if you have an HMO then you will have already established your primary care doctor when you enrolled in your policy, and you will be limited to hospitals and facilities in your network.

Take advantage of preventive care

Your insurance policy comes with some free perks, specifically, preventive care. This means that as part of your policy, you are entitled to a cost-free annual physical exam with your primary care physician. Additional cost-free services are available depending on your age and gender, so be sure to find out from your doctor or health insurance company what you can do without paying out of pocket. These exams and screenings are critical for early detection of diseases and conditions, and often detecting these things early can make an immense difference in both treatment options and prognosis. So take advantage of these free services!

Setup auto-payment

You will only have insurance coverage as long as you pay your monthly premium. Most carriers will let you setup auto-pay, so that you don’t have to remember to pay your bill each month. If you stop paying your premiums your insurance carrier will drop you, meaning you will no longer have your health insurance policy.

Contact GoDirect if you need to

We are always here for you! If you ever have questions about your policy, remember that we are just a phone call or email away!