Most of us view insurance as a never-ending expense, even if we don’t think we need it. Insurance helps us manage risk. If something unexpected happens, we would rely on insurance to help us with the financial burden. To learn about the importance of insurance and why everyone needs it, check out the Insurance 101 article. Insurance may be able to help cover expenses you didn’t know about. The CGS Team is sharing 4 surprising expenses your health insurance plan may cover the cost of. Whether full or partial cost-coverage, it could still save you some money.
Gym Membership
A huge factor of maintaining good health is working out on a consistent basis. If you reach a certain amount of gym visits each month, your health insurance company may help with the bill. According to Insure.com, UnitedHealthcare offers $20 toward your gym membership every month you go 12 or more times, up to a total of $240 a year.
Massage Therapy
If you have chronic back pain and your doctor, chiropractor, or physical therapist prescribes massage therapy, your health coverage may take care of a portion of those costs. Insure.com shares that some Blue Cross Blue Shield plans offer subscribers a 30% discount on their massage therapy sessions as long as they use an in-network provider. There may be a limit on coverage, so talk to your insurance provider before going.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been proven to help pregnancy nausea, post-op dental issues, migraines, back pains, and more. Most insurance companies are adding acupuncture to their list of covered services. Check in with your insurance company to see if they cover acupuncture costs. If not, inquire about affinity programs that could help cover the cost. Affinity programs allow you to select providers at a 20 to 40 percent discount. If you want coverage, your doctor will have to write you a prescription for acupuncture.
Personal Training
If you want to work one-on-one with a personal trainer at the gym or at home for your medical condition, you may be eligible for some of the cost to be covered, depending on your plan. Some insurance companies have programs that allow you to add personal training sessions to your health care coverage if you choose a personal trainer that’s considered in-network.
Related: Health Benefit Basics.
While no insurance company offers the exact same coverage, while open enrollment comes around, it could save you some money to check into everything that could be covered. If you use any of the services above, see where your potential insurance company could help. Are there any surprising expenses or services your insurance company covers the cost of? Do you contribute to an FSA or HSA to help cover some of the costs? Leave a comment below to share your thoughts!
3 thoughts on “Surprising Expenses Insurance May Cover”
It’s awesome to hear that insurance providers may provide financial support for gym memberships. I think people deserve a discount for working to stay active! I’m going to see if my provider does!
My insurance company covers cosmetic Botox! 😉
Did your insurance company make that clear when you were signing up, or did you have to do a little digging to find out they covered that service??