Year-End Health Insurance Check-Up
Nine Tips From eHealthInsurance for Saving Money and Avoiding Insurance Mistakes Before You Ring in the New Year
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 12/19/08 -- eHealthInsurance, the leadingonline source of health insurance for individuals, families and smallbusinesses, today released tips for maximizing your healthcare dollars in2008 and minimizing your healthcare expenses in 2009.
These tips are also available on video athttp://www.youtube.com/user/eHealthInsurance
-- Tip #1: Don't toss the fine print: Many health insurance carriersmake updates on existing plan rates and benefits at year end. Thesechanges are usually communicated through mailers and people may throwthese mailers away without reading them. Read the correspondencethoroughly so that you're not surprised about changes in your plan.
-- Tip #2: Shop around: If your rates or deductibles are increasingdramatically in the New Year, shop around. Insurance companies areoften adding new products every year, and you might find a better deal.
-- Tip #3: New year, new deductible: Most health insurance carriersreset the deductible every calendar year. If you've exhausted yourdeductible in 2008, make sure any year-end claims are submitted beforeJanuary 1st so they are not applied towards your 2009 deductible.
-- Tip #4: Deduct medical expenses: If your family's medical costs forthe year are approaching 7.5% of your adjusted gross income, thoseexpenses may be tax-deductible. Check with your tax advisor or the IRSwebsite to see if you are able to deduct these expenses.
-- Tip #5: Saving money on medicine: Ask your doctor or pharmacist ifyou can switch to lower-cost medications, shop around for basic medicalsupplies on your own, and take advantage of free preventive care.
-- Tip #6: Funding can be fun: If your plan features a Health SavingsAccount, fund it to the maximum amount before the end of the year forthe best tax benefit. It also serves as a "rainy day" fund for anyfuture emergencies.
-- Tip #7: Get healthy: Check your health insurance plan to see if theyoffer a discount at local or national health clubs. Some plans do andyou can save money on the monthly membership cost for the family.
-- Tip #8: Get physical: Make sure you get your yearly physical; itcould determine your eligibility for future health plans. Knowing yourcurrent health status better prepares you to make a decision on whetheryou should change plans or if you can scale down your existing plan inthe event you need to make a change.
-- Tip #9: Do a final review: Look for any other major changes in yourhealth or lifestyle that may require a different set of healthinsurance benefits. Remember, you may not be able to change your planuntil January, 2010.
About eHealth, Inc.:
eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) is the parent company of eHealthInsurance, thenation's leading online source of health insurance for individuals,families and small businesses. Through the company's website,http://www.ehealthinsurance.com, consumers can get quotes from leadinghealth insurance carriers, compare plans side by side, and apply for andpurchase health insurance. eHealthInsurance offers thousands of healthplans underwritten by more than 180 of the nation's health insurancecompanies. eHealthInsurance is licensed to sell health insurance in all 50states and the District of Columbia. eHealthInsurance and eHealth areregistered trademarks of eHealthInsurance Services, Inc.
For more information, please contact:
Nate Purpura
eHealth, Inc.
805-215-3336
nate.purpura@ehealthinsurance.com
Sande Drew
Senior Media Consultant
650/ 210-3107 - office
916/ 207-7674 - mobile
sande.drew@ehealthinsurance.com