Changes to your health insurance may not be the biggest thing on your mind as the holidays get closer. But with the change of the calendar can come important changes to your insurance coverage.
Paying attention to these changes and informing your child’s care team ahead of time can help avoid any disruptions to care and treatment.
New Cost-Sharing
With a new year, your cost-sharing requirements likely will reset. This may mean a new deductible (the amount you have to pay out-of-pocket before your health insurance begins paying) and new co-pay or co-insurance amounts. Check with your insurer to see if there are changes to your cost-sharing requirements coming in 2024 to avoid unanticipated out-of-pocket expenses.
Different Insurance Plan
If your insurance plan will change in January…for example, you’re switching from Blue Cross Blue Shield to Aetna…your benefits and cost-sharing requirements may also change. Be sure to let your Inner Circle team know if you’ll have different insurance coverage starting in January so that we can work with the insurer to ensure no disruptions in your child’s treatment.
Different Insurance Coverage
If you are staying with the same insurer…for example, United Healthcare, it is still possible that your coverage is changing. Double checking that both your member ID and your group number are the same in 2023 and 2024 will confirm that your insurer and your coverage are the same. If either the member ID or the group number are changing in 2024, let your care team know so we can confirm consistent coverage.
Medicaid Coverage Renewal
If your child is covered under ARKids First (in Arkansas) or SoonerCare (in Oklahoma), be sure to look out for notices from the state about renewing your child’s coverage. Arkansas and Oklahoma both require that eligibility for continued coverage be re-established once a year. The exact time of renewal will vary by family and when coverage was first obtained. Any changes to income, assets, or family size could change your child’s eligibility status.
The good news is that most private insurance companies cover ABA at least to some extent, and both Arkansas and Oklahoma cover ABA for children in their public health insurance programs. In addition, Inner Circle Autism Network is an in-network ABA provider with most health insurers. Staying on top of insurance changes, however, is an important best practice so that your child’s treatment plan can continue with interruption or delays.