A Comparison Guide to Health Insurance

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2 Have you decided that the time is right to investigate buying health insurance or are you wondering whether the insurance you ve got now is the most costeffective coverage available to you? There are myriad options and plans to choose from, but some providers are definitely superior to others. Medavie Blue Cross is a leader in Atlantic Canada for their unbeatable health coverage, ease of payment and their focus on ensuring health care is delivered directly to individuals, when and where they need it most. Medavie Blue Cross Benefits Compared Comparing basic plans, it s clear just how much more comprehensive Medavie Blue Cross is than another popular provider, Manulife Financial. Health insurance is like any other insurance; you put it in place and hope you never have to use it. But when you do have to use it, Medavie Blue Cross is the cream of the crop and the insurance partner you ll want to support you through illness or injury. Benefit Medavie Blue Cross options plan manulife ComboPlus Starter plan Prescription Drugs 70% reimbursement; 100% coverage after $4,500; no maximum 70% reimbursement of first $750; $525 maximum/year Basic Dental 60%; no maximum 70% reimbursement of first $575; $400/year maximum Accidental Dental $7,000 per lifetime $2,000 per year Vision 70% reimbursement; $150 per two years $150 per two years Massages, Naturopaths and Acupuncture $20 per treatment; up to 20 treatments a year ($400). $20 per treatment; up to 20 treatments a year ($400) per specialist. Hearing Aids $400 over five years $400 over four years 2

3 If we compare these same features in premium plans, you ll see that Medavie Blue Cross again has advantages over Manulife Financial. Benefit Medavie Blue Cross Options Plus plan Manulife ComboPlus enhanced plan Prescription Drugs 80% reimbursement; 100% coverage after $4,500; no maximum 90% of first $2,222; 100% of next $8,000; annual maximum of $10,000 Basic Dental 70%, no maximum 100% of first $500; 60% of next $700; $920/year maximum Accidental Dental $7,000 per lifetime $2,000 per year Vision 70%; up to $300 per two years 100%; up to $250 per two years Massages, Naturopaths and Acupuncture $20 per treatment; up to 20 treatments a year ($400). $20 per treatment per practitioner; up to 20 visits a year Hearing Aids $500 over five years $400 over four years Semi Private Hospital 100% n/a; requires an add-on to your package. Medical Equipment 70%; no maximum $3,000 maximum per year About Medavie Blue Cross For more than 70 years, Medavie Blue Cross has been providing health plans and supplementary coverage to groups and individuals. They administer provincial health and pharmaceutical plans in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and provide health care, including clinical training and ambulance transportation, through their Emergency Medical Services Group of Companies. As a non-profit enterprise, Medavie Blue Cross can devote its energy to supporting its clients by helping them access premium healthcare simply and with very little stress. Unlike for profit companies, like some of their competitors including Manulife Financial, there is no pressure to deliver value to stockholders at the expense of your health coverage, and any profits go back into delivering the robust coverage that has made Medavie Blue Cross the premium provider it is today. 3

4 Prescription Drug Coverage Both the Medavie Blue Cross Options and Options Plus plans offer great coverage for medication, but some of their competitors don t offer coverage that is as widespread. Regardless of the plan you choose, it s crucial to ensure that you ve got prescription coverage as the foundation. Prescription drugs can be extremely expensive; even if you re not currently ill, ensuring coverage while you re healthy will pay for itself if you are diagnosed with a medical issue that requires medication. It s important to not just think about prescription drugs in terms of simply being remedies to common illnesses. Consider this: a round of antibiotics can cost around $100 per person. What if you develop bronchitis, an ear infection and strep throat in the same year? Triple the cost of a round of antibiotics. If any other members of your family develop the same illnesses, the cost can be $1,000 or more, and that s for comparatively inexpensive medication. The cost of drugs to maintain chronic conditions such as high blood pressure or cholesterol has risen by 58% since Even with this rise in price, Medavie Blue Cross has consistently done all they can to ensure premiums are kept as low as possible. Would you be able to afford to pay $4.66 or $3.59 per tablet if you had to take one or more a day for an extended period or even the rest of your life? What if you re diagnosed with high blood pressure, diabetes or cancer? The cost of those drugs can range, on average, between $15,000 to $40,000 per year. Common Drug Costs Drug Treatment Cost Celebrex (200mg) Arthritis $3.34 per capsule Plavix (75mg) Blood Thinner $4.66 per tablet Lipitor (10mg) Lowers Cholesterol $3.59 per tablet Prozac (10mg) Antidepressant $3.10 per capsule Cymbalta (30mg) Antidepressant and Pain Relief $3.94 per capsule Breo Ellipta (25mcg) Asthma $7.36 per dose Clavulin (125mg) Bacterial Infections $2.57 per tablet *Source: 4

5 What to Look for in a Plan Navigating the sea of options on your own can seem daunting; of course we d recommend scheduling a call to go over your options and the best plan for you. Either way it s important to have a few questions prepared to ensure the coverage you choose suits your lifestyle and needs. Here are some of the most important questions you can ask when you re ready to purchase or update your plan: Can you add family members to you plan? This will be important if you get married, are in a common law relationship, or if you have children. Medavie Blue Cross plans allow you to add family members even if they have preexisting conditions. Other providers won t be as likely to do this, especially if they need coverage for medical issues they already have. Can you suspend your plan? This option gives you flexibility and choice when it comes to your coverage options. If you change jobs and are offered access to a group benefits plan as part of your compensation package, your personal coverage might be unneeded. However to ensure that you re still eligible for future access to coverage should your circumstances change, you can choose to suspend a Medavie Blue Cross plan. This will also protect you if you re diagnosed with a medical condition that would be classified as a pre-existing condition if you had to re-apply for coverage. Are you sure your plan offers you good value? The simplest way to determine if your plan offers good value is to add your benefits together for an annual total and compare that to the annual fee. If your annual fee is higher than the total future benefits you will be able to receive when you need them most like prescription drugs, alternative medicines, dental, vision, and everything else included in your coverage you might be paying too much! Just wanted to thank you so much for all your understanding and all the help you have given us. We are so grateful for your kindness at such a time of need, and we want you to know how much we appreciate what you have contributed to and for our son. You are truly more than a Blue Cross agent. You really are about your clients and went the distance for us. Thanks again! The McBurnies 5

6 How long will it take to be reimbursed? Medavie is unique in that it offers direct pay for many treatment providers. When you go to the dentist or for a massage, for example, you ll only have to pay your portion on the spot. Unlike with some insurance providers, you won t have to pay for the entire treatment, fill in forms, and then wait for the money to be returned to you anywhere from weeks to months later. Similarly, how much paperwork will you have to fill out in order to be reimbursed? Medavie Blue Cross offers direct pay so many providers can electronically file a claim for you. You could also visit a Quick Pay location to have your straightforward and stress-free reimbursement, or you can mail your claim where necessary. Feel free to get in touch with the Roy Lounsbury Holdings Ltd. team for help and support with claim forms. Who can you talk to when you have an issue? When you purchase Medavie Blue Cross from Roy Lounsbury Holdings Ltd. you ll be able to speak to us when you ve got a problem. Having an experienced agent whom you can call when you need support or advice and who can help guide you through the process is priceless. With many insurance providers, you d likely have to call a Customer Helpline, with no guarantee of any personalization or familiarization with your existing plan. 6

7 Why Purchase Medavie Blue Cross Insurance from Roy Lounsbury Holdings Ltd? Roy Lounsbury has decades of experience in financial and insurance products, and uses his expertise to find perfect health care coverage for every single client. Regardless of age, income or expectations, Roy Lounsbury Holdings Ltd. will address your needs and concerns to create a tailored plan for you and your family. To us, it s important that clients feel like they ve learned about the insurance they re purchasing and how it s the best package for them. The Roy Lounsbury commitment to our clients is that they ll never be left alone to struggle through insurance claims or coverage questions. In fact, what our clients already know is that our real work begins once their policy is in place. Roy's track record with happy clients speaks for itself. Every year since 2010, he has won awards for providing outstanding customer service, and he has consistently been a leading agent of Medavie Blue Cross in Canada I just want to tell you how pleased I am with Blue Cross and Pharmacare for seniors. There was savings on my prescription lenses and medications. Thank you so much for all your advice. Should I need your help again, I ll certainly contact you. Annabelle 7