California Health Care

When signing up for a health insurance plan, you need to consider various out-of-pocket costs. Your deductible will typically be the most expensive cost, so it’s important to understand the difference between a low deductible health plan (LDHP) and a high deductible health plan (HDHP). The deductible that’s right for you will primarily depend on your health and financial situation.

Your health insurance deductible is the money you must pay for medical services before your insurance provider steps in. For example, if you have a $1,000 deductible, you will pay the first $1,000 of your medical bills out of pocket. After you pay the deductible, you will only have to pay a copayment fee on covered services while the insurance company covers the remaining amount.

Before choosing a health insurance plan, you must know all the potential costs involved. Discover what common health insurance terms mean below so you can make a more informed decision:

High deductible plans require yo...

Vision insurance is a plan that covers specialized eye care, such as routine eye exams and prescriptions for correcting vision errors, subject to exceptions. It’s separate from your medical or health insurance, covering eye care expenses instead of general eye complications considered as medical issues. The specific coverage under vision insurance varies depending on the insurance provider and the terms of the insurance contract or policy. However, there are some standard inclusions. It’s important to review your plan to determine what it covers and the level of coverage it provides.

This guide discusses the standard vision insurance inclusion and exclusions. It also addresses the coverage you need if your vision insurance does not cover a condition or treatment.

Vision insurance coverage depends on the insurer and the plan you purchase. However, standard coverage includes:

You may get contact coverage on your medical or health insurance plan as an extra package. If your plan exclud...

Caring for an older loved one involves demanding tasks like daily custodial care and household chores. These responsibilities can require a lot of mental and physical energy, necessitating occasional breaks to focus on self-care, relieve stress and ensure you are fully present when you return.

When you step away, the person who relies on you needs uninterrupted support from knowledgeable and caring people. If your loved one is a Medicare recipient, respite care coverage can fill the gap. Let’s explore the terms and benefits of respite care and the associated payments.

Respite care is a period that allows a primary caregiver a hiatus from looking after a patient or older loved one. Depending on your health care provider, this interval may last one afternoon or several weeks. Various people can provide respite services, including relatives, friends, professional caregivers, nurses and community volunteers.

The patient will typically spend this time in a hospital or similar facility that...

Most medical plans cover preventive services that come at no cost to the patient. But what is preventive care? What are the specific preventive care services for women, men and children?

To answer your questions, we’ve compiled some preventive care guidelines so you can know what plans may be available to you, the services you may want to include in your care plan and what costs you may face.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), seven out of every 10 deaths among Americans every year are due to chronic diseases, of which many are preventable. By using preventive care, Americans can stop these illnesses before they become major health problems.

Preventive care refers to services intended to prevent illnesses before you feel sick or become aware of any symptoms. The purpose of preventive care is to shift the focus from treating illnesses to maintaining good health and wellness.

Preventive care can help you stay healthy for longer by preventing or delaying the onset of...

Innovations in technology have changed the health care landscape, and telehealth services are an increasingly popular option for patient convenience and comfort. In California, nearly 47% of adults reported using telehealth services to seek care in 2022.

California law has recognized telehealth as a legitimate form of health care delivery since 1996. Let’s explore the state laws and standards surrounding telemedicine.

In short, yes — California allows telemedicine. State law recognizes telehealth as a mode for delivering health care services via technology to facilitate the consultation, diagnosis, treatment and management of a patient’s health and wellness.

The two most common modes of telehealth services within California are:

California physicians and health care providers are permitted to use telehealth technologies to provide care to patients located in the state. In most instances, they must be licensed by the Medical Board of California.

Beyond that requirement, California’...

Not every health issue requires a trip to your doctor’s office. Instead, many health concerns can now be addressed from the comfort of your own home.

Telehealth use has risen dramatically in recent years. Remote services do have limitations, so it’s important to know when to use telehealth appointments and when to see your primary care physician in person.

Telehealth appointments use technology to connect patients with health care professionals remotely. Using your computer or smartphone, you can see your primary care physician for medical advice, diagnoses and even treatment without having to venture out.

Your doctor should give you tips on preparing for your telehealth appointment. A few common types of telehealth appointments include:

Telehealth can also take the form of secure messaging through an online patient portal.

For many people, telemedicine is a safer and more convenient alternative to in-person medical visits. However, the appropriateness of telehealth depends on the pat...

Vision insurance can help you save on eye exams, glasses and contact lenses — if you use your plan wisely. Learn how to maximize your plan’s benefits, whether you have VSP, EyeMed or another type of vision coverage.

The first step to using your benefits is understanding what your plan covers. That way, you can determine how eye care fits your budget and how often you can use your insurance. For example, you can use your VSP benefits once a year if you want coverage for an exam.

It’s best to check your member benefits to see what your specific plan will cover in a year.

What is your reason for needing an eye appointment? If you’re ready to use VSP benefits to order contacts or get new glasses, your vision insurance will come in handy. Vision insurance typically offers allowances to help cover the cost of these helpful products.

However, if you’re concerned about a medical issue with your eyes, you may need to visit your primary care doctor. This doctor can diagnose problems like...

If you are looking into dental health care coverage options, the two you have probably run across are savings plans and insurance. Both of these options can help you save after a trip to the dentist — it’s only a matter of which one is right for your needs.

Dental savings plans are membership programs with discounts on dental care from participating dentists. These are ideal if you know you need extensive dental work done, as they can save you more than their membership fees each year.

Here’s how they work:

Traditional dental insurance plans are when an insurance company pays for your dental services in full or partial amounts. The exact plan you choose will determine what services or procedures they will cover — however, most insurance plans will take care of preventive care cleanings or exams.

As the insurance holder, you will have to pay a monthly fee to stay enrolled. Most insurance plans also come with a deductible or copay. A deductible is a fixed amount you need to reach o...

In short, yes — health insurance providers have the ability to terminate your coverage. Whether the issue is on the provider’s or holder’s end, there must be a reason for the cancellation. Otherwise, it is considered frivolous, and there are laws in place to protect holders from those actions.

Your health insurance can be terminated for several reasons. Whatever the cause, most reasons can fall under either voluntary or involuntary terminations.

Voluntary terminations are those from the holder’s end of the equation, like when a policy holder decides to stop making payments during or after the end of a contract.

Involuntary terminations are those where the health insurance provider decides to drop your plan. This can happen on the anniversary date or in the midterm. Midterm cancellations are coverage cancellations done any time before your policy’s contract renewal period. These are possible if you are found to have:

In any termination situation, your provider must notify you at...

As a generally healthy individual, you may see health insurance as a “just-in-case” form of protection in the event you get injured or become sick. While your plan can provide that coverage in your time of need, you should know that your health care benefits likely go much further than helping with emergency room visits and primary care checkups — and you can use them even when you don’t necessarily need them.

Ultimately, your health insurance is important and can be a major resource for keeping you mentally and physically fit. To get the most out of your plan and fully justify your monthly premium, you should know the ways you can use your benefits when you’re healthy.

Every health care plan comes with basic components that make up how much and what the insurance covers. As you consider how to use your benefits throughout the year, you should understand each part of your plan to know exactly what you can and can’t do.

While different kinds of health insurance exist, the gen...