Choosing the Right Coverage

You have important rights that protect your access to health care. But all health plans are not created equal and navigating open enrollment can be a challenge. Understanding the health services you need and what your plan covers will help you avoid or minimize claim denials.

Know Your Rights - The Affordable Care Act
The health care law provides important protections for all health care consumers. It has key provisions that are beneficial for people living with arthritis.

Know Your Rights – Medicare
The Medicare program has evolved since it was first introduced in 1965, but important rights and protections remain for covered individuals.

Arthritis Care Checklist
If you are newly insured, thinking about switching plans, or considering supplemental coverage, there are 10 key areas of health care services that people with arthritis may need. Find out what your plan covers and what it doesn’t.

Managing Your Arthritis Care: Preparing for Open Enrollment
Here’s what you should know about health coverage through an employer, a federal program, a health exchange or a short-term insurance plan as you prepare for a new plan year.

Open Enrollment Checklist
Use this checklist to review key elements of a health plan as you prepare for open enrollment.

State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs)
SHIPs offer local, personalized counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and their families. SHIPs can help you with things like:

• Your Medicare questions, including your benefits, coverage, premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance
• Complaints and appeals
• Joining or leaving a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO), any other Medicare health plan, or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D)

Sample Summary of Benefits and Coverage (PDF)
Use this example as a guide to understand the benefits, coverage and out-of-pocket expenses for a health