I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Aflac. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.
Did you know that the leading cause of bankruptcy is medical debt? If you have ever gotten a bill after even a brief stay in the hospital, you probably don’t find that to be hard to believe. Fact: The average hospital stay costs $10,000.
My family is fortunate to have major insurance coverage through my husband’s employer. However, we have still managed to rack up thousands of dollars in medical debt from the births of each of our children…even with medical insurance! Although we were covered under medical insurance, our policy required us to pay for a lot of costs we were not aware we would have to pay ourselves. We always assumed everything would be taken care of by our insurance company. We were mistaken!
There are many out-of-pocket expenses that medical insurance may not cover. These include things like co-pays, deductibles and transportation costs to medical appointments. Other expenses you may not think about are day care costs, caregiver fees, and all the bills (utilities, rent) you may be unable to pay while you are unable to work. It’s actually pretty easy for even a common illness or injury to cost thousands of dollars out-of-pocket. And more serious illnesses like cancer can run bills as high as a mortgage!
I’m not trying to scare you, but this is reality in today’s world of rising health care costs. It is important for each of us to learn what our insurance policy covers, as well as what the average out-of-pocket costs are for different injuries and illnesses. This knowledge can help us to plan for unexpected events and expenses that life may bring our way. You can protect yourself against skyrocketing medical costs with a plan that includes supplemental insurance.
Aflac’s Real Cost Calculator
The Real Cost Calculator is an easy-to-use interactive tool that shows the average out-of-pocket expenses associated with a number of injuries and illnesses. Examples of these include: diabetes, heart attack, asthma and broken leg. This data comes from numerous national public sources.
It uses 3 simple steps to break down 1) medical and out-of-pocket costs including deductibles and copays; 2) household expenses during a treatment or recovery period; and 3) out-of-pocket expenses like transportation for follow-up doctor’s visits, special travel arrangements, care-giving and other health care needs that continue while a patient is sick and out of work.
The Aflac Real Cost Calculator will also teach you how Aflac’s supplemental insurance policies can help offset those expenses and fill in the gaps where your medical insurance does not pay.
Aflac is #1
Aflac is the Number One provider of guaranteed-renewal insurance. For almost sixty years, Aflac has provided their policyholders with a way to focus on recovery and not financial stress. They process claims quickly (usually within 4 days) and pay cash benefits directly to the policyholder…not the doctors or hospitals. You can use that money anywhere you need it – gas, groceries, the rent, etc.
Where Can You Find the Real Cost Calculator?
Learn more when you try Aflac’s Real Cost Calculator for yourself. It can be found at www.aflac.com/realcost. Are you ready to take the first step to preparing for the real cost of an illness or injury?
Have you ever been surprised by the high cost of a medical bill? Do you already have supplemental insurance to help fill in the gaps? What do you think about the rising costs of medical services? Let me know in the comments.