Don't forget urgent care and emergency room visits. If your health plan covers your spouse or children, tally their medical visits too. Using this list as a guide, think ahead to what you might need during the next year. Be sure to include annual preventive care services, such as a physical, gynecological exam, and mammogram. If you are expecting a baby or planning a pregnancy, factor in prenatal care visits and a hospital delivery.
Some health plans cover genetic counseling and infertility services.
If you anticipate the need, write it down. If you have young children, be sure to include well baby and well child check-ups, immunizations, and school physicals, along with periodic office visits for illness or injuries. Once you've compiled this master list of medical needs, you can begin to objectively evaluate each health plan. Focus on Benefit Differences Step two is to compare benefits. At first glance, every health plan may seem about the same.