Top Healthcare and Insurance Insights All in One Place

If you’re prone to procrastination, freeze. Don’t move a muscle until you read this. From one procrastinator to another, signing up for medical health insurance plans is one thing you shouldn’t put off. For most people, the only time of year that you can sign up for health plans is during the annual Open Enrollment period. Open Enrollment ends on January 15th in most states, (you can check your state’s deadline here)  so rip off the bandaid and check out your options. Just trust us on this one.

Being proactive about health insurance pays off

The biggest reason not to wait is apparent: You might miss your chance to sign up for Obamacare and have to wait an entire year for another shot. The implications of that are significant. Any doctor visits, from regular checkups to a trip to the ER, will result in a soul-crushing bill. The average cost of an ambulance ride is about $1,200. Not sure about you, but we’d prefer not to have to Uber to the hospital. If you’re prescribed medication, you’ll have to pay full price for that too.

Let’s say you don’t miss open enrollment. Instead, you wait until the very last minute to enroll. (Been there, done that!) If you wait to sign up for a medical health insurance plan, you’ll have to make a snap decision. You won’t have enough time to review your options carefully. If you have questions, you won’t have time to get answers. You also may miss out on getting to visit the healthcare providers you like the most. Any health coverage is better than none at all, but if you give yourself more time, you’ll be able to choose a plan that best supports your healthcare needs on a budget you can afford.

If you miss open enrollment, it may not be too late

We can’t make any promises, but in some cases, there are exceptions to the open enrollment rule. If certain life changes or circumstances apply to you, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Open enrollment only happens once a year, but it’s possible to lose coverage in the middle of the year.

Special Enrollment Periods give people the opportunity to stay covered if something affects their previous health coverage. If you have a qualifying life event, you must apply for special enrollment within 60 days.

There are many changes that qualify, but these are a few of the most common:

• Getting married or divorced
• Having a baby or adopting a child
• Moving to a different ZIP code
• Losing eligibility for your current health plan

If you were enrolled in the wrong plan by mistake due to misinformation, technical errors, or incorrect plan details, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period as well. For more details on which events and circumstances qualify, read this in-depth overview, or fill out a Special Enrollment Period application to find out for sure if you’re eligible.

Before you decide to go without health coverage, let’s review the pros and cons

When you’re feeling fine, enrolling in a health insurance plan can feel like a waste of money. It’s not. The benefits of being insured far outweigh the drawbacks.

Pros:

• Enroll early, and you’ll have plenty of time to pick the right plan
• Health coverage is way more affordable than most people realize
• Many services are included free with health insurance plans, like diabetes screenings, cancer screenings, and diet counseling
• You’ll have to pay a small fraction of the cost of preventative doctor visits, urgent care, emergency medicine, medical procedures, medication, and pretty much anything else health care related
• If anything major happens to your health (knock on wood), at least you won’t go bankrupt!

Cons:

• It’s not completely free. Most people pay a monthly premium, plus deductibles and copays.
• Signing up is mildly annoying.

We can’t think of any more cons. We tried. Enrolling isn’t a party, but it’s way easier than most people realize. Enroll with HealthBird, and you’ll have a list of customized health plan quotes in a matter of minutes. Just answer a few easy questions, and you’re good to go. HealthBird members also have access to a growing list of tools to help them manage their health. They’re completely free to use, with no annoying in-app purchases or hidden fees. You’ll pay the same low price for coverage as you would if you shopped for a health plan elsewhere, only with less confusion, less stress, and more support.

The short version? Quit procrastinating and check “sign up for health insurance” off your list.

You can thank us later.

Over the past few years, a wellness movement has swept the nation. When everyone was stuck at home during the lockdown, we finally had the time to enjoy making healthy meals, try virtual yoga, and revisit our favorite sports. Living room Zumba? Yes, please! We’re in full support of taking steps to look and feel your best. That said, part of taking charge of your own health is preparing for the elements of it beyond your control. No amount of green drinks or pilates will fix a cavity or a sprained ankle. It won’t catch signs of thyroid issues, anemia, high blood pressure, or diabetes either.

The first step in your wellness plan for this year: Expect the unexpected

If wellness is one of your New Year’s resolutions this year, enroll in medical health insurance that supports your goals before worrying about the rest. Health insurance plans help in two big ways. Firstly, it makes it much more affordable to maintain your health via preventative checkups and screenings. Your primary care doctor can make sure you’re ready to take on that HIIT workout and give you tools to get there if you’re not.

Secondly, medical health insurance plans lessen the blow of unexpected health emergencies. We hope you never have to deal with one, but if it happens, it happens. Waiting until it does will bring all your wellness efforts to a screeching halt. Illness or injury aside, having to pay full price to get medical treatment is stressful enough to make workouts and meal prepping the least of your worries. Monthly premiums are a pain, but they’re much less painful than going into debt over a broken bone or heart problem. Plus, medical health insurance plans are more affordable than ever. Seriously, they’re not nearly as expensive as you think.

Make it your mission this year to have fun with healthcare

We’re not joking. Not even a little. Shopping for health insurance doesn’t seem fun, but it can be. Obama care made it easier to shop for health insurance, but not easy enough. HealthBird is transforming the entire experience of taking care of your health, starting with finding quality health coverage. At first glance, HealthBird is a handy tool to help our members choose their ideal plan with practically no effort – for free. That’s a pretty solid selling point, but our app offers so much more than that.

Our ultimate mission is to give our members intuitive tools to help make their health and wellness goals easier to achieve, like:

• Browse plans from quality health insurance providers, and sign up with ease (of course!)
• Enroll in a dental/vision/hearing plan
• Access insurance cards
• Find local, in-network healthcare providers
• Schedule appointments
• View your electronic medical records
• Keep track of prescriptions
• Get medication reminders
• And more!

When we say “and more,” we mean it. Our team’s mission is to become an integral part of each member’s wellness journey. We’re always looking for new ways to help, so expect the app to roll out new features on the regs.

Not insured yet? Let’s get that one checked off your list

We’re no strangers to procrastination, but it’ll feel so good to know you’re taken care of. If you’re not ready to sign up this minute, just take a few minutes to check out your options. A few easy questions, and you’ll have a list of quotes that you can review at your leisure. Just don’t forget that Open Enrollment only lasts until January 15th, so don’t wait too long! Some states may extend the enrollment window, so check here just to be sure.

Once you’ve signed up, you can access even more features through the HealthBird app, coming soon!

Countless studies have shown that your smile is the first thing people notice about you. Taking care of your pearly whites should be a top priority. Might as well keep your prescription glasses up to date so you can see all that brushing and flossing pay off. And how will you hear the compliments roll in if your hearing isn’t what it used to be?

Dental, vision, and hearing care are all essential to your health and quality of life, but most traditional health insurance plans don’t cover them. We consider being able to see well enough to drive to work to be important for your quality of life. Until American healthcare sees the light, the best option is to enroll in separate plans to cover care for your teeth, eyes, and ears. HealthBird has made it easy as pie to sign up for health insurance from the start. Now, we also offer a bundled plan that combines coverage for your teeth, hearing, and vision, too. Pay one monthly premium, and never worry about paying for that root canal or new glasses again.

Let’s not make this complicated

Open enrollment runs through January 15th, so seize the opportunity! Historically, anyone who wants head-to-toe health coverage has had no better option than paying several monthly premiums for several different healthcare plans.

What does the dental, vision, and hearing plan cover?

Prime DVH, provided by SureBridge, covers all three services in one policy. Coverage is offered for the whole family, and the options are flexible: You can see any provider you want, or get significant discounts by choosing an in-network provider. For a quick overview, coverage includes:

• Routine dental checkups and eye exams with no out-of-pocket costs
• An annual hearing exam of up to $75
• Coverage for dental diagnostics, restoration, periodontics, oral surgery and more
• Coverage for glasses, frames, contact lenses, hearing aids, and hearing aid repairs

Preventative care is covered in full. Other services require meeting a $100 deductible first, and only a percentage of the total cost of care is covered. For most services, Prime DVH covers 60% for the first year of coverage, rising to 80% by year three. It’s not 100%, but it’s so much better than paying full price out of pocket. Just biting a popcorn kernel can set you back thousands if you break a tooth, so why take the risk?

Dental, vision, and hearing coverage doesn’t replace the need for standard health coverage.

In states that legally require health coverage, the Prime DVH plan doesn’t meet the qualifications for minimum essential coverage under the Affordable Care Act. It’s supplemental, covering the services that most standard health insurance plans leave out.

Luckily, HealthBird makes it effortless to keep track of all your healthcare needs in one place. Find the perfect health insurance plan in minutes by answering a few easy questions. Our AI will do the rest.

Then, sign up for Prime DVH to cover those prescription contacts and dental cleanings. After that, keep using the HealthBird app to keep track of all things health-related: Schedule appointments, review electronic medical records, find doctors, get reminders to renew your prescriptions, and connect with our helpful concierge service if you need more help.

Don't have vision, dental, or hearing coverage? Explore supplemental health insurance plans with us to fill the gaps in your coverage.

Cut out the middleman and get your healthcare needs handled, fast

Life is busy enough as it is. We prefer working smarter, not harder, so why shop for multiple plans and download multiple apps just to keep track of them?

Read more about exactly what dental & vision coverage includes  to see what else HealthBird can do.