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Your Health, Your Voice: Why Self-Advocacy Matters in Healthcare

Published on

Apr 22, 2024

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Team Orca

There's a lot of things that are inspiring about Serena. What we want to highlight today is the example Serena set for us all in showing how important it is to speak up when it comes to your health.

The year was 2017. Shortly after welcoming her first child to the world, Serena started experiencing symptoms of a potential blood clot. Her doctors were not overly concerned, but Serena felt that something was wrong. She pushed for tests that revealed she indeed had life-threatening to blood clot that required immediate surgery. In her words:

"Being heard and appropriately treated was the difference between life or death for me."

We're taking a moment to re-share this story to remind us all that our voices matter when it comes to healthcare. At Venteur, this starts with the ability to pick your health plan and customize your selection based on your unique goals and needs.

This is just the beginning of the journey.

Self-advocacy in healthcare is about taking an active role in your own medical decisions. It's about being informed, asking questions, and speaking up for your needs. It's about trusting your gut instinct, asking questions, and getting second and third opinions.

Why is self-advocacy so important?

Improved health outcomes: Studies have shown that patients who are self-advocates are more likely to have better health outcomes. They are more likely to adhere to treatment plans, experience fewer complications, and be satisfied with their care.
Increased confidence: When you take charge of your health, you feel more empowered and confident. You know that you are making informed decisions about your own well-being.
Stronger doctor-patient relationships: Self-advocacy can lead to more open and honest communication between you and your doctor. When you are an active participant in your care, your doctor is better able to understand your needs and provide you with the best possible care.

How can you be a self-advocate in healthcare?

Do your research: Before any appointment, take some time to learn about your condition or the procedure you are considering. The more you know, the better equipped you will be to ask questions and make informed decisions.
Ask questions: Don't be afraid to ask your doctor questions, no matter how simple they may seem. It's important to understand your diagnosis, treatment options, and potential risks and benefits.
Speak up: If you have concerns about your care, don't be afraid to voice them. Your doctor is there to help you, and they can't address your concerns if they don't know what they are.
Find support: There are many resources available to help you be a self-advocate in healthcare. Talk to your friends and family, join a support group, or connect with an online community.

If there's anything we encourage you to takeaway from reading this article, it's this: you are the most important person in your healthcare journey. Trust your voice, be your own advocate, and take charge of your health.

FAQs

You got questions, we got answers!

We're here to help you make informed decisions on health insurance for you and your family. Check out our FAQs or contact us if you have any additional questions.

How does an ICHRA work?

ICHRA stands for Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA). This health arrangement allows you to pick your own health insurance plan using your employer’s monthly tax-free allowance. These funds can be used to cover insurance premiums, including dental and vision, as well as qualified medical expenses.

What are the benefits of an ICHRA?

Your health plan belongs to you, and you can keep your health insurance if you leave your company.
You get to choose from any qualified health plan on the market. Venteur can help you select a plan where your preferred doctors, providers, and prescriptions are covered.
If you choose a health plan that costs less than your employer contribution, the extra funds are added to Venteur’s Health Wallet, an account used to pay for qualified medical expenses.

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What's the difference between an ICHRA and a Group Plan?

Group health insurance plans are purchased by companies and offered to their employees. Traditional group plans take a one-size-fits-all approach to healthcare, giving employees limited choice when it comes to their coverage options. Employer-sponsored ICHRAs give employees a tax-free allowance to pick any plan on the public exchange that meets their unique needs.

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What expenses are reimbursable through my Health Wallet?

You can use money in your Health Wallet to pay for qualified medical expenses, as the IRS defines in Publication 502. The full list is available here: https://www.venteur.com/post/213-d-reimbursements-or-health-wallet.

Please note that some expenses, like gym memberships or vitamins, are only reimbursable if you obtain a doctor's note confirming medical necessity.

What is the Health Wallet and how can I use it?

1. What Your Health Wallet Balance Represents:

Your Health Wallet balance could be thought of as a measure of the medical expense reimbursements you're entitled to under your health insurance plan. It's essential to note that it isn't quite like a bank account with a set amount of accessible cash. Rather, consider it as a marker of what you're eligible to get reimbursed for as part of your ICHRA plan.

When you shop for insurance through the app, you will see a dollar amount that is available for out-of-pocket expenses. This amount is what gets contributed to your Health Wallet account for your use in reimbursements. However, depending on how your employer has setup the account, it may be available immediately or it may be available after every monthly invoice.

2. Your Health Wallet Account:

When your account is setup, there is a predetermined way on how your Health Wallet functions for your reimbursement funds. The first scenario is that there is money that has been set aside at the start of the period which can be used for your reimbursements. You may see the entire amount entitled to you is immediately available for medical expense reimbursements. It's like having a store of health benefits ready to be used when you need them.

3. Simplifying the Health Wallet Experience:

We're always striving to enhance your experience and are currently working on making the Health Wallet balance operate more like a pre-paid debit card. This shift aims to streamline the funding process further and allow you quicker and more direct access to your health reimbursements, leading to an even smoother journey for you.

Remember, whether your account shows the funds immediately or after every invoice, it doesn't affect the overall sum you're entitled to under your ICHRA plan; it merely affects the timing of when you will receive the reimbursements.

Your trust is important to us, and we're continually striving to make our services better for you. If you ever have questions about your Health Wallet or anything that would help make for a more understandable benefits experience with us, don't hesitate to reach out to our customer service team.

What criteria does Venteur use to make plan recommendations?

We’ve built an AI model that uses something called a 'composite patient'. We use over 30 years of historical claims data and your age, gender, and zip code to predict your total healthcare spending under each plan. As you add additional information to your profile--specific doctors, prescriptions, risk profile, etc.--your list of recommendations becomes more personalized.

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