WHEN YOUR CONDITION WILL REQUIRE TREATMENT, TESTS, OR MULTIPLE SURGERIES OVER A PERIOD OF TIME:

• YOU stay in touch: It is very important to stay in touch with your insurance company. Do not assume that they know what's going on or what the game plan is! If possible, don't rely on an overworked and distracted employee at the doctor's office to do this for you!
• Keeping notes: Always begin with keeping  a notebook for all contacts with insurance companies as recommended previously!
• Timing is everything: The time element is a crucial consideration for you both for your health and financial well being! Keep in mind the 12 month calendar. On January 1st of each year, everyone begins a new 12-month period for "deductible" and "out of pocket" expenditure. This means that by waiting until January 6th to have reconstructive surgery so you can go out and enjoy Valentine's Day eve may sound good, but it could cost you thousands more than having the surgery on Dec 30th. If you have already had qualified medical expenses earlier in the year, the more you can have done prior to the end of that same  calendar year the better. There is no way of getting around the "out of pocket" expense threshold with any insurance company unless you meet the catastrophic ceiling of total out of pocket payments.

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