8 Things Every Woman Should Know About Their Health
STUDIO CITY (CBS) — Ladies listen up! Brandon Cruz, president of GoHealth, has what you need to know about your health!
Cruz visited the KCAL9 studios Thursday and shared eight things women should know about their health.
8 THINGS WOMEN SHOULD KNOW:
Pregnancy
1. Women with group health insurance should not assume they have maternity coverage. Only 66 percent of group health plans cover 100 percent of maternity costs. That means a lot of women with group health plans may get pregnant not realize the out-of-pocket expenses they are responsible for.
2. For those looking to get an individual health insurance policy they must find one with maternity coverage or find a plan available with a maternity rider.
3. You need coverage before you get pregnant. It is still legal for health insurance companies to deny women coverage if they are already pregnant in a majority of states.
4. If you are pregnant and don't have health insurance you may either be eligible for Medicaid or the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) in your state. The PCIP plan is the high risk pool created by health care reform that allows individuals with pre-existing conditions to get health insurance but there are certain requirements to be eligible for the plan.
Birth Control
5. When looking for an individual plan, understand the copayment cost for birth control or a certain type of birth control you currently take. If it's significantly more than what you currently pay then try finding coupons online, switch to a generic form or see if the company offers mail-order prescriptions at a cheaper cost.
6. Birth control will be available with no copayment starting January 1, 2013, due to health care reform.
Infertility Treatment
7. Infertility treatment is not covered by a majority of health insurance plans. Currently only 27 percent of group health plans completely cover infertility treatment.
Only 15 states have laws requiring infertility treatment:
• Arkansas
• California
• Connecticut
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Montana
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Rhode Island
• Texas
• West Virginia
Coverage levels depend on the state laws and may vary between group and individual plans. Also, states may require infertility treatment but not certain procedures like In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
Preventive Care
8. There are now many free preventive services that women can utilize. Although it's important to note that if women are receiving a preventive service and then is treated or receives a procedure during the same visit, they will be charged for the procedure.
Some of the preventive services include:
• Breast cancer mammography screenings for women over 40
• Cervical cancer screening
• Anemia screening for pregnant women
• Folic acid supplements for pregnant women
Preventive services available for plans starting on or after August 1, 2012:
• Breastfeeding support, counseling and supplies
• Well-woman visits
• Gestational diabetes screening for women 24 to 28 weeks pregnant who are at high risk
For more information, visit GoHealth online.
