Whether you are shopping for insurance or supplements, you’ll need to know if the supplements you are interested in taking will be covered under the insurance you have or are planning to buy. As a part of your overall health care, supplements should be covered by your insurance. However, it depends on the type of insurance you have and the supplements you wish to buy. Researching insurance companies and plan options, as well as the kind of supplements you are trying to get covered, may help you find an option that will work.
Here are a few approaches to take when trying to get supplements covered by health insurance.
Shopping for Insurance
Individual insurance companies determine what they will cover and what they won’t cover, so you can ask about supplement coverage when looking for health insurance. Policyscouter.com is a website that will help you find the insurance that is right for you within your budget. You can compare policies and prices through this website. Shopping for health insurance can be frustrating and confusing because their marketing material and salespeople are designed and trained to convince you they are the best option, even if they offer nothing you need. A third party like Policy Scouter will allow you to see fair comparisons between companies and plans.
Shopping for supplements
There is a wide range of supplements, so you have to investigate each one to see if you can get it covered by insurance. For example, testosterone supplements have grown in use and popularity as more information has become available regarding low testosterone‘s side effects and complications. Low testosterone can lead to erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, stamina, and endurance, and it can cause muscle mass loss and bone density loss. The most noticeable side effects are the ones that impact sex drive and performance.
Testosterone therapy works to increase testosterone production, and a natural testosterone booster can help with that. There are medications that the patient can take that will be covered by the insurance, but they can have side effects impacting the blood pressure and heart health, so they aren’t always a viable option. It makes sense for supplements to be covered by health insurance, but it will help to talk to your doctor and insurance company about what supplements you want to be covered.
Health Savings Accounts
Another option is to see if your employer or your insurance company offers a health savings account option. Also referred to as an HSA, a health savings account allows you to have money taken out of your paycheck before taxes and put into a separate saving account that can be used only for health-related expenses. An HSA can be used to buy supplements, over-the-counter medicine, and other health needs. Some companies will even match the money an employee puts into their HSA up to a certain amount, so you can essentially get free money to use for health-related expenses. While there are guidelines on spending the money, dietary supplements are generally within those guidelines.
Unfortunately, there is a chance that you won’t find an insurance plan that will cover your dietary supplements. In those situations, it is best to explore other options, including an HSA. You can also look into discount programs for people without insurance or medication discounts plans that may cover supplements and over-the-counter medications as well. You can also advocate for why the supplements should be covered with your insurance company and physician. While it may seem futile, you may inspire a change that will benefit you and others. You may also learn about alternative health coverage programs that will cover your supplements that you were not aware of previously.