Keeping up on all the health options

Part of my job at the hospital is to help patients deal with health insurance.  I help them apply for MaineCare and talk to them about other programs that can help with health care and drug costs.  Sometimes, I help them to understand and navigate their private insurance.  What can I do to make sure I am up-to-date on MaineCare, private insurance, and non-insurance options?  Eligibility, benefits, and options change a lot and I want to make sure I’m providing the best advice possible.  Does anyone offer regular trainings and updates?

Trying to Keep Up

Dear Trying to Keep Up,

Good for you for striving to give good service.  You may want to check out the Consumers for Affordable Health Care’s events calendar.  They offer exactly the kind of training you describe.

People often do not realize that they can get this kind of help from their healthcare providers’ staff.  These in-house experts have seen many different situations and insurance plans.  They can be very valuable to a person who finds the lingo and process confusing.

Linda Riddell

About Linda Riddell

A published author and health policy analyst with 25 years’ experience, Linda Riddell's goal is to alleviate the widespread ailment of not knowing what your health plan can do for you.