There’s an unwritten list of topics we don’t cover at the typical playdate. While conversations about parenting topics can get a little heated, that’s really as controversial, and awkward as we go. I’m not one for huge difficult conversations, but there’s one we’ve been needing to have. UnitedHealthcare approached me about sponsoring my blog for this post and it finally gave me the push I needed to have the hard talk with you.
Today I want to talk about some worst-case scenarios. Things that are uncomfortable and hard to think about, but so important. To soften the blow, make sure you read to the end, because UnitedHealthcare is giving away $100 to one of my readers and there are two other ways to win some extra cash for Christmas too!
If you’re like me, you probably know the bare minimum about insurance to get by.
I know the co-pay for well visits to the pediatrician and I know what we pay when we have a sick child too. I’ve even found ways of getting reduced prices on medication when the kids are sick, with the help of our child’s wonderful pediatrician. If I’m honest though this is where my comfort with insurance stops.
And that’s terrible!
It seems overwhelming, doesn’t it? If you spend any time at all looking at the fancy terms, and numbers you’ll know that it doesn’t take long before it all starts to run together and numbers swim across your vision.
Up until now Insurance companies haven’t necessarily been that forthcoming with information that’s able to be understood by the average person. It’s another item on the VERY LONG list of things they don’t really prepare you for when you become an adult. Just suddenly you’re 18 and expected to know these things automatically.
Some of the things you miss growing up are easier to pick up on than others. I may have been a horrible cook when I moved out on my own, but Pinterest is full of ideas to help me make decent meals for my family, so I’m okay there.
I may not have learned to budget at home, but wanting to be able to pay all my bills and save for a house made learning about budgeting fun for me.
Insurance education. Not as fun.
I don’t want to think about my kids getting sick. I don’t want to think about the reality that one day my husband or I will pass away and the other person will be left to handle life.
I want to say that illnesses and accidents wouldn’t happen to my family. That my husband and I will live a long life and die together in our sleep when we’re 90.
And while I continue hoping for those things, I know that part of being an adult is planning around the less-than-idea situation. Looking it firm in the face and knowing that I have a plan of action in place. A plan for my family, to take care of the ones that matter most.
Part of that is knowing how my insurance plan works, and whether we’re as prepared as we could be for all of the what-ifs that life might throw our way.
UnitedHealthcare has started educating people about what all the crazy health care terms mean, and I love it. It’s basically a game, so you KNOW I’m on board with that.
It makes having the hard conversations about insurance coverage and making sure our family is taken care of in worst-case scenarios a whole lot easier.
In the past, whenever my husband would bring it up, my eyes would glaze over a bit and I’d just let him decide whatever he thought was best. While I do trust his judgement, taking the head-in-the-sand approach isn’t going to help me out at all if he is hurt or even passes away and I’m left having no idea how our health care works.
A friend and I talked a lot of this through last night. We laughed nervously and we chatted about hard life situations that we hope we’ll never have to face. The nice thing is, we can breathe a little easier knowing that we have at least an idea of what to do in case of the worst.
UnitedHealthcare is hosting TWO sweepstakes that you can enter, simply by educating yourself a bit more about general insurance language. My friends this is the first step to really understanding how this all works, so you can make an educated plan about how your coverage is built and what type of coverage you need for your family.
I told you earlier there were going to be three ways to win holiday spending money and they are all pretty easy and they feed off of each other.
First, UnitedHealthcare has offered a $100 amazon gift card to one of my readers. You can enter using the rafflecopter below!
They are also offering two sweepstakes. The first is the What’s the Word challenge. I did the whole puzzle in under two minutes (I was quite proud of myself!). After you complete the challenge you’ll be prompted to enter some information. That will be your entry into the sweepstakes. There is a $100 weekly winner and a $500 monthly winner with this sweepstakes! (That will definitely put a dent in the holiday budget!)
The second sweepstakes is in the form of another fun game! The Are You A Health Plan Pro game asks you a variety of questions about how plans work. At the end of each phase you have a chance to enter the sweepstakes for even bigger prizes! This one has $100 weekly winners and a $500 monthly winner!!!
The health plan pro game helps you figure out if you are wasting money choosing one type of care over another when you have options. It can also help you with terminology, and help you learn about health plans that can help you save a lot of money if you visit the doctor frequently!
Since entering these sweepstakes also gives you entries in the giveaway on my blog, your chances of winning just keep going up the more you do and the more you report here!
I’m excited to be taking this journey of knowing more about health care with you!!! I really hope one of my readers wins the sweepstakes, but at the very least I know one of you will win the amazon gift card, it might as well be YOU!!!! Don’t forget to report your entries above so that you’re in the running!
And, when you have a quiet moment tonight with your partner, sit down and chat about health care, and your plans for all of life’s what-ifs! It’s a difficult chat to have, but I think you’ll feel a lot better when you know how it all works and the types of coverage you have available to you, I know I do!
Stephanie Jones says
I definitely learned some things I didn’t know about healthcare! Great games! :) I’d probably use the money for Christmas. :)
Shannon says
Unfortunately, I am pretty educated about insurance simply because I deal with it so much! Living with chronic illness between myself and my kids gives me lots of practice in this area. But the games seem like a much more fun way to learn this stuff! It’s really important to know these things, for sure!
Tiffany says
This is totally one of those things I avoid because it seems like so much – I just push it aside
Steve Weber says
I learned that I need to get better healthcare.
Natalie says
I learned how healthcare levels are tiered in regards to health insurance. I would use the money to buy Christmas presents!
Kate Skero says
This truly is such a hard topic to think about. And yet, we do have to be prepared. We have to know that we are not immortal. My husband and I are exploring life insurance right now and this blog post has given us a lot to think about. Thanks, Paula and United Healthcare!
Laurajj says
I did learn a bit from those! Health insurance can be so confusing sometimes for me. I didnt realize that Virtual visits were the cheapest for non emergency care! I am going to have to check into those. They would be so much easier for many things! If I won, I would use it for the holidays. Always such a tight time of the year money wise.
Chrissy says
I definitely learned that I don’t understand when it’s better to have a higher premium/lower deductible and vice versa. I’m going to have to do some research on that. Also, if I won I would definitely use this to buy Christmas gifts!
Kelly Tupick says
I learned that i need to brush up on my plans premiums and deductables and learn what the costs are. I would use this for Christmas to help my daughter get a good laptop for college.
natasha lamoreux says
I definately learned some new things about insurance and different terms. I would gift my husband this and let him choose a product to purchase.
Sarah Mayer says
I learned that I’m paying too high of an out-of-pocket cost for my current plan.