Healthcare

MAKE YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN WORK FOR YOU

Managing your health insurance plan (health plan) can be difficult. Whether you have public health care benefits or private insurance, you need to know how to get the most out of your coverage. This guide will give you general information and tips to help you get the most from your health insurance.

Get to Know How Your Health Plan Works

• Stay in the network. Most health plans, like HMOs, PPOs, Medicare, and Medicaid, use certain groups of doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare professionals called provider networks. If you visit a doctor outside of your network, you may have to pay more for your care. In some cases, you may have to pay the full cost. If you are referred to a specialist by your primary care physician, make sure they are in your network.
• Know what’s covered. Make sure services or treatments are covered before you schedule them. Some plans, such as Medicaid or an HMO, require pre-authorization before some services, treatments, and/or tests can be provided.

Where You Go Matters

It is important to know where to go when you need medical care. While the answer is not always simple, knowing the difference and deciding where to go can mean the difference in costs and time. The main point is to be prepared before you go and make sure ahead of time that you will be covered by your health plan’s network.

• Health Plan 24/7 Nurse-line – most health plans have a 24 hour, 7 days a week nurse-line (the number can be found on the back of your health plan member services card). Registered nurses are on call to answer your health questions and there is no cost to the member. Be sure to have your member ID card available when calling.
• Your Doctor – this is your primary doctor for non-emergency care, wellness check-ups, and referrals to specialists. Most doctor offices require an appointment and for most visits there will be a co-pay.
• Urgent Care – when you need immediate attention (cannot wait a day or two for an appointment) but the issue is not an emergency. Examples of health issues that would be addressed at an urgent care are: headaches, urinary tract infection, back pain, cuts, etc. You do not need an appointment at the urgent care (although some do offer that option) and most health plans will require a co-pay.
• Emergency Room – when you need immediate attention (cannot wait a day or two for an appointment) but the issue is not an emergency. Examples of health issues that would be addressed at an urgent care are: headaches, urinary tract infection, back pain, cuts, etc. You do not need an appointment at the urgent care (although some do offer that option) and most health plans will require a co-pay.

Letters of Medical Necessity

The most common reason a health plan will deny a service is that they do not have enough information about you and your need. To avoid this problem, ask your doctor, or health care provider, to write a letter of medical necessity and send it with the request for service. The letter should include:

• Your medical condition with exact diagnosis
• How long your condition is expected to last
• Why you need the service/treatment/equipment and a description of what is needed
• What health problems will occur if you don’t get the service
• What other treatment or services were tried, if any, and why they did not work

Your doctor can ask the health plan to call them with any questions about the letter. Ask your doctor to send copies of medical records that support their letter of medical necessity to your health care insurance provider.

Decisions on whether a service is medically necessary are usually made by a doctor at the health plan. If your service/treatment/equipment is denied, ask your doctor to call the health plan directly to discuss your condition and needs. If you are still denied, file an appeal. Call customer service on the back of your health insurance card, or follow the instructions on the “Notice of Decision” for filing an appeal. Pay careful attention to timelines, as all appeals have a deadline. When filing the appeal be certain to keep a copy of the appeal request, proof of when and where you sent the appeal (signed mail receipt or fax confirmation sheet).

Division of Insurance

As the Health Insurance marketplace changes due to Healthcare Reform, understanding the health insurance you are purchasing is more important than ever. The Nevada Division of Insurance can answer those questions as well as investigate complaints regarding healthcare insurance plans and Navigator Organizations. You can contact the Division of Insurance at 775-687-0700 (Northern Nevada), 702-486-4009 (Southern Nevada), or 888-872-3234 (toll free). Or, visit the Division of Insurance website.

State of Nevada Office of Consumer Health Assistance

The mission of the Governor’s Office for Consumer Health Assistance (GovCHA) is to enable all Nevadans to access information they need to better manage their health care concerns, and to assist consumers and insured employees in understanding their rights and responsibilities under various health care plans and policies of industrial insurance.

• Access to Healthcare Resources
• Appealing Insurance Denials
• Reviewing Hospital and Other Medical Bills
• Patient Rights and Responsibilities
• Prescription Assistance Resources
• Small Business Employer Healthcare Resource Information
• Uninsured Resources
• Workers’ Compensation Claim Process, Education, and Guidance

To open a case, you may call 702-486-3587. For residents outside Southern Nevada, call toll-free at 1-888-333-1597. You may also open a case by downloading GovCHA’s forms from their website: dhhs.nv.gov or by emailing them at: CHA@govcha.nv.gov.  GovCHA does not charge a fee for their assistance.