Bonitas Member Magazine December 2016 | Page 30

GET MORE VALUE FROM YOUR BENEFITS Do’s Don’ts Look out for benefits that are paid from risk These benefits are in addition to your other benefits. They give you more value for money, without using your savings or day-to-day benefits. Bonitas pays for maternity consultations, wellness benefits, preventative care benefits and dentistry from risk on most plans. Avoid asking questions Talk to your doctor or specialist before being admitted to hospital for a planned procedure. Check what they are going to be charging and what your scheme will cover. If there is a large difference, don’t be afraid to approach your doctor to see if they are prepared to adjust their fee. Use network GPs and specialists We negotiate special rates with these doctors to ensure you get quality care at lower rates. This helps you to avoid co-payments and helps your savings and day-to-day benefits stretch further. Forget to pre-authorise Pre-authorisation is required for all hospital admissions to ensure your stay will be covered. Always ask if there are any co-payments or sub-limits that will apply and what you can do to avoid these. Call 0860 002 108 or email [email protected] to get a pre-authorisation number. Manage your chronic medicine correctly The golden rule for chronic illness benefits is to try to use the medication on your plan’s formulary and to obtain this from a network pharmacy or a designated service provider. Be uninformed Take the time to read the information we send to you. If you have access to information sessions at your place of work, or have a consultant who visits your workplace, attend the sessions to get a better understanding of how your benefits work. Get with the programme Our Managed Care Programmes are available to help members manage serious conditions such as cancer, diabetes and HIV/AIDS. Skip your wellness check We offer an annual flu vaccine, HIV test and a wellness screening check on all options. These tests help to identify serious illnesses early. Make use of our preferred providers Using preferred providers and designated service providers will help you avoid co-payments and get more value for money. Stick to originals Generic medication is the same as the original brand, but can be much cheaper. Get a specialist referral Make sure you have a referral from your GP to visit a specialist. You may visit a gynaecologist, ophthalmologist or oncologist once a year, without a referral. Consult after hours In an emergency one obviously has no choice, but these consultations are very expensive. Page 29 Bonitas Member Magazine 2016 Issue 4