As you go through the different phases of your life, you will likely require different types and levels of health insurance coverage. For instance, children and adult students under a certain age limit are often added to a parent’s health insurance plan. When the student graduates and finds their first job, they may switch to a health insurance plan provided by their employer, or if they find themselves unemployed or on a low income, they may be eligible for government-funded health insurance programs, such as Medicaid in the United States. Retirement and aging are also when many people will need to change or upgrade their health insurance policy or provider. Here are some key things to keep in mind if you are an older person looking for health insurance coverage.
Some governments—federal, national or local—provide help with health insurance costs for people who have reached a certain age, often 65. In the United States, most people aged 65 and over will be eligible for Medicare, a federal health insurance program that covers many essential medical expenses. The basic Medicare plan—which is referred to as ‘Medicare Original’—can be supplemented with additional Medicare add-ons or with a secondary health insurance plan, which may be one you carry over from your job or trade union.
You may automatically picture hospital beds, beeping machines, and surgical theaters when you think of healthcare. However, an increasing number of people are also turning to complementary or alternative therapies to help them manage their medical conditions, especially where pain and stress feature prominently among the symptoms. These umbrella terms cover a huge range of therapies, which often originate from ancient cultures. When a therapy of this kind is used in conjunction with contemporary Western medicine, it is considered ‘complementary’, whereas if it is used on its own, it is considered ‘alternative’. The latter case is rarer, as a large number of patients choose to access a mixture of therapies.
Before you dismiss complementary or alternative therapies, think about the fact that they are often used in palliative and hospice care. A hospice in San Diego County, for instance, uses aromatherapy to help its patients deal with anxiety and insomnia and achieve a level of inner peace. So not only is the evidence base for some complementary and alternative therapies growing in terms of treatment, but they could also help make your final days easier should you have the misfortune of facing a terminal illness.
Even though eye care, dental care, and hearing care are all types of healthcare, not all health insurance policies cover them. Therefore, even if you do not currently suffer from issues with your vision, hearing, or teeth, it is a good idea to choose an insurance plan which covers these areas, as problems can arise in older age. When it comes to health insurance coverage, it’s definitely better to be safe than sorry!
