Health Insurance Articles
Hospital Stays And Health Insurance Coverage And What You Should Know
2010-04-04
Almost every American will have a hospital stay during their lifetime. This can range from a one-day stint due to a car accident or day surgery, or could be long-term due to a terminal or severe illness. Many consumers believe that their health insurance coverage is sufficient to cover them in the event of any hospital stay, but health insurance will often pay for far less than is commonly believed. Long-term health insurance and care can be extremely expensive, as both the stay in a hospital itself and all treatments administered there can be phenomenally expensive. Knowing what your health insurance covers for hospital stays is key to making sure you do not get stuck with unreasonable bills or high costs.
All health insurance will include some level of coverage for hospital stays. This often is simply listed as a monetary cap in the policy, rather than a specific number of days or type of stay. In addition, many items provided in hospital will often not be included in any basic health insurance quote. These can include items like extra food, pillows or hospital clothing. While initially small, these costs can quickly add up for an individual who has been severely injured or has developed a long-term illness that will require frequent hospitalization. Within a matter of weeks or months, both the hospital stay limit and entire yearly limit on a health policy can be reached, meaning that the patient is now responsible for bearing the entire cost of their stay.
Often, providers will offer options for long-term health insurance that will allow a patient to have far higher limits of hospital coverage. The need for such coverage can be difficult to predict, however, and once a patient has been hospitalized and knows they have the need for continual hospital services, the price tag on this coverage can become prohibitively expensive. If possible, it is best to be aware of exactly what your policy will cover, and to what level. Consult your documentation and call your provider if there is any confusion on your part. In some cases, unused coverage for one year can be rolled over into the next, which can offset the cost of a hospital stay, at least initially.
As well, the cost of hospital care is not a constant factor. Every hospital will have its own rates, not necessarily tied to the level of care offered. If possible, do some research about the hospitals in your location and the rates they offer. While an immediate and urgent stay will limit your options, continuing care gives the patient the choice of which hospital will best suit their needs, and can allow for a cost savings.
