This October is health literacy month where we celebrate 20 years of promoting health information. Whether you have rarely used your health insurance in the past or your family hits its deductible every year, a recent colorectal cancer diagnosis may still feel daunting. Learn more about basic health literacy terms that you may need to know.

 

Deductible

Your deductible is the amount of money that you must pay before you can start to use the benefits from your health insurance plan. Once you hit your deductible, your health insurance starts sharing the cost of services with you. Plans often include preventative care and prescription drug costs before you meet your deductible.

 

Out-of-Pocket Costs

Out-of-pocket costs are the maximum amount that you will pay before your insurance covers the rest. Some plans have different costs for in-network and out-of-network numbers.

 

Copayment

A copayment, or co-pay, is the agreed-upon amount of money that a medical service will cost to you. Check your insurance plan to see your outlined copayments.

 

Premium

The premium is the monthly amount that you pay for your health insurance plan. If you have job-based coverage, your employer may subsidize the cost.

 

10 Essential Health Benefits

The 10 Essential Health Benefits offer guaranteed coverage on any Qualified Health Plan. This means that preventative screenings for colorectal cancer, in addition to other screenings, are covered. Encourage your loved ones to get tested today.

 

For more information on health literacy and colorectal cancer, please reach out to us at info@coloncancerchallenge.org or (914) 305-6674.