With more people than ever gaining access to low cost or affordable health care services it can be hard to decide which option best suits your needs and ability to pay. Choosing the right one can mean shorter wait times, lower cost and overall better service.

Regardless of your past health care choices, knowing how to get the most from your current health insurance will improve the quality of care you get while lowering the price you pay to receive it.

Preventative Care

It's always better to catch health issues early and treat them before they seriously impact your quality of life. It's this line of thinking that has led to most insurance plans offering free annual check-ups to their members. This also emphasizes the importance of developing a relationship with a primary doctor, allowing them to keep track of your wellness and any health problems you may develop throughout your life.

Preventative care can also be applied to vaccinations, routine medical exams and various testing to determine whether or not you're in good health for someone your age. These tests can normally identify potential concerns long before they become serious health risks. Not only does this early detection cost ensure a better chance of successful treatment, they're far less costly than long term care for critical health problems.

Urgent Care

Not all of your medical needs can be scheduled for in advance. During unexpected situations most minor problems can be dealt with by an urgent care physician. If your primary doctor offers a sick clinic, or walk-in appointments, this can serve the same function, but urgent care practices accept all patients and normally operate on different hours than most general practices.

Unlike preventative care, urgent care services are not normally fully covered by most insurance plans. Chances are, you'll pay something out of pocket either at the time of your visit or later on when you're billed. Your specific insurance plan will vary, so consult with your explanation of benefits in order to better understand what to expect to pay.

Both preventative care and urgent care services are designed to meet different medical needs. While the doctors that offer these services can address many of the same physical ailments, it's always best to see your primary doctor when possible. Not only will they have more familiarity with you and your medical history, preventative services are generally less expensive than those provided by urgent care practices.

To learn more, contact a company like Meekins Insurance Services with any questions you have.