Add This to Your List of New Year’s Resolutions

As someone who has been threatening for two decades to write a book, I’m starting out 2023 by writing a weekly blog. The discipline of consistently writing will help flex my mental muscle and get me back on the written, albeit digital, page. With a degree in journalism from The University of Michigan, I spent the first decade of my career as a journalist. And for decades I have been threatening to write a book. Stay tuned for updates on that dream.

A new year is so much more than adjusting to writing a new date on correspondence, checks etc. (does anyone use checks anymore?) If we are honest, it is when some of us are on a mission to become better versions of ourselves.  At least for the first couple of weeks in January!

As I kick off 2023 with my own resolutions in mind (blogging being one of them), there’s something I’m suggesting you add to your list that could provide a huge financial benefit all year long: scheduling your annual diagnostic tests in the first quarter of the year.

“Why?” you ask.

Because for most of us, health insurance deductibles reset January 1.

What exactly does this mean?

Let’s say you have an insurance plan with a $3,000 deductible. That’s the amount you have to pay out of pocket for healthcare services before your insurance kicks in to pay for any additional medical expenses. So, if you’re diagnosed earlier in the year and reach that deductible, insurance will pay for the rest of your medical care that year.

But when the calendar hits January 1, your healthcare deductible resets to that $3,000 amount—meaning if you get diagnosed at the end of the year, you may have to pay two back-to-back deductibles in order to receive treatment.

Though we are five days into January, it would be prudent to review your policy to fully understand your coverage. Here is a great link to understand the difference between deductibles versus co-pays.

However, if you feel a lump, see a rash, or feel swelling of the breast, but have completed annual diagnostic testing, schedule an appointment with your physician immediately. When symptoms present themselves, you should never ignore or delay signs that your body may need urgent medical attention.

There is never a good time to get diagnosed with breast cancer, (or any disease for which there are diagnostic tests available) but there is always a right time to advocate for your physical and financial health. Understanding and navigating the complexities of your health insurance plan as we enter the new year can better prepare you for the financial challenges that may lie ahead.

And today, just to prove I walk my talk, I am off to get my colonoscopy! - Molly

(Disclaimer: please note that I am NOT and do not claim to be an EXPERT on health insurance plans.  You should always check with your employer or from whomever you purchased your policy, for clarification on your benefits and when you can schedule diagnostic testing.)