Be Your Own Advocate: 3 Tips to Navigating the Insurance System

After eight surgeries and almost 80 doctors’ appointments last year alone, Eric Horbach has learned a thing or two about working with insurance companies. When he was told it was going to take seven days to get an MRI authorized, he picked up the phone and called his insurance company. He got the scan the next day. So what’s his secret? Watch this video for his tips:

Health insurance tip #1

Eric says communication is key. The more clearly you can present your medical case at every turn, the better. And his first tip for communicating with health insurance companies is to be prepared. Know your medical history and the reasons for the procedure and be ready to make your case. “You need to be assertive and be informed to be able to well substantiate your position,” Eric explains.

Health insurance tip #2

Being prepared gets you ready for the call, but once you have a representative from your health insurance company on the line, you need to be persuasive. “You need to point out to them why it is in your mutual interest to have this thing done sooner,” says Eric. After making his case to his insurance company, he didn’t have to wait seven days for his MRI. He was approved to go in the day after his doctor ordered the scan.

Health insurance tip #3

When it comes to dealing with insurance, it’s comforting to remember you’re not alone. Abi Roberts is an Insurance Specialist for RAYUS. “It can tend to feel like you have this pain and you have these symptoms and you’re paying for your insurance, so why aren’t they taking care of you?” Abi says the RAYUS insurance team works to take the mystery out of the process so patients know how much out-of-pocket cost you’ll pay for each procedure. She offers a last insurance tip: Don’t get intimidated. “It’s as simple as calling that customer service number on the back of your insurance card a lot of times. They want to help you.”