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You might think you know your health insurance. But did you know your plan might pay for a smoking cessation program, wellness coaching, mental health support, or fitness discounts — at little or no additional cost? Millions of Americans miss out on valuable health benefits simply because they don’t realize what’s included in them or find it challenging to access these extras.
Unlocking your health insurance’s hidden potential is more than saving money—it’s about making the most of every tool and service available to improve your well-being, achieve your wellness goals, and get the support you need before health problems arise. With Beem Health, discovering, understanding, and using every health insurance perk is as simple as logging into your phone.
Maximizing Your Health Insurance
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn about little-known insurance benefits, from preventive care and telehealth to fitness perks and prescription savings, plus insider strategies to ensure nothing goes wasted. Let’s learn all about maximizing your health insurance.
What Are Little-Known Health Insurance Benefits?
Most policyholders use only the basics of their insurance—like doctor’s visits, urgent care, and hospitalizations—while overlooking many benefits that insurers include to keep their members healthier and reduce costs in the long run.
Examples of commonly overlooked extras include:
- Annual wellness checkups and screenings at no extra cost
- Discounts for gyms and fitness programs
- Virtual (telehealth) consultations, often free or with reduced copays
- Mail-order prescription savings and exclusive pharmacy discounts
- Preventive dental and vision exams
- Support services for mental health, chronic condition coaching, and alternative therapies
Beem Health’s digital platform spotlights these features, helping you identify, track, and enjoy every benefit available on your plan—so you’re less likely to leave money or services “on the table.”
Commonly Overlooked Health Insurance Benefits
Let’s spotlight the most valuable but easily missed perks embedded in today’s health insurance policies.
1. Preventive Care Services
Preventive care coverage is one of modern health plans’ most significant, yet underutilized, advantages. Federal law (the Affordable Care Act) mandates that many preventive services be covered with no out-of-pocket costs—as long as you use an in-network provider.
Key Preventive Services Often Covered:
- Annual physical exams and well-woman visits
- Vaccinations (flu shots, tetanus, HPV, COVID-19 and more)
- Cancer screenings (mammograms, colonoscopies, Pap smears)
- Blood pressure/cholesterol/glucose screenings
- Pediatric wellness exams and immunizations
- Mental health and depression assessments
Why it matters: Early detection through screenings can catch issues before they grow serious or expensive. Annual wellness visits help you and your provider track subtle shifts in health, reducing the risk of chronic illness, hospitalizations, and major interventions.
How Beem Health Helps: Get reminders for upcoming checkups, book preventive screenings virtually or at your nearest participating clinic, and keep digital records so you never miss a recommended service.
2. Telehealth and Virtual Care
Telemedicine exploded in popularity during the pandemic, but many don’t realize it remains a staple for convenient, affordable care. Most insurance plans now offer free or heavily discounted virtual visits for:
- Minor illnesses (colds, allergies, infections)
- Chronic disease follow-ups
- Mental health and counseling
- Specialist consultations
The Benefits: Virtual care is time-saving, travel-free, and often much cheaper than in-person appointments. It’s ideal for busy professionals, parents, or those who live far from healthcare providers.
How Beem Health Helps: Beem Health lets you access 24/7 virtual doctor visits for non-emergent issues. Their app helps you see which conditions are eligible for telemedicine, connect to the appropriate provider, and store the details for your health timeline.
3. Wellness and Fitness Programs
Insurers increasingly focus on lifestyle medicine, offering resources that go beyond the medical office. These might include:
- Gym membership and fitness class discounts
- Weight loss or nutritionist coaching
- Smoking cessation or alcohol moderation programs
- Rewards for activity tracking or biometric improvements (e.g., lowering blood pressure, steps per day)
The Benefits: Participating in insurer-sponsored wellness programs can help you build healthy habits, lower your risk of disease, and sometimes reduce your premiums or earn gift cards.
How Beem Health Makes It Easy: The Beem Health platform matches your plan to include wellness perks, notifies you about enrollment or redemption deadlines, and lets you track your progress.
4. Prescription Discounts and Mail-Order Pharmacies
Drug costs add up fast, but many plans have hidden savings options:
- Mail-order prescriptions: Get a 90-day supply shipped to your door, at a fraction of retail pharmacy cost.
- Preferred pharmacy networks: Some pharmacies offer reduced prices for policyholders.
- Discount cards or manufacturer savings programs: Lower out-of-pocket costs, even for brand-name drugs.
The Benefits: You’ll spend less on long-term or maintenance medications, cut down on copays, and avoid surprise pharmacy bills.
How Beem Health Helps: Easily compare prescription prices or sign up for mail delivery through the Beem Health app. Reminders prompt you to refill in advance, minimizing lapses in medication.
5. Mental Health and Counseling Services
Mental well-being is fundamental. Insurers increasingly cover:
- Counseling and talk therapy (individual and family)
- Substance abuse and addiction support
- 24/7 hotlines and crisis intervention services
- Digital mental health platforms and mobile apps
Why it’s crucial: Mental health support prevents crises, stabilizes chronic disease, and improves work and family life.
How Beem Health Helps: The app seamlessly books virtual counseling, provides access to support groups, matches therapists, and reminds users of scheduled check-ins.
6. Maternity and Family Planning Benefits
Growing your family? Most comprehensive plans include:
- Prenatal and maternity care (screenings, ultrasounds, regular checkups)
- Lactation consulting and breastfeeding support supplies
- Birth control methods and counseling
- Fertility assessments or reproductive health visits
The Perks: Early and regular care keeps mother and baby healthy, reduces the risk of complications, and controls long-term costs for both.
How Beem Health Navigates These Benefits: Beem Health directs you to covered prenatal services, explains insurance eligibility, and helps book affordable consultations for family planning needs.
7. Additional Perks: Vision, Dental, Alternative Therapies, Second Opinions
Many employer or enhanced individual plans quietly include:
- Vision exams and eyewear savings
- Basic dental checkups or cleanings
- Chiropractic, acupuncture, and other alternative therapies
- Free or discounted second medical opinions for major diagnoses
Why It Matters: Dental and vision health impact overall wellness; alternative therapies can relieve chronic conditions. Second opinions offer peace of mind before surgeries or life-changing treatments.
How Beem Health Helps: Use Beem Health to find in-network dental/vision providers and clarify your coverage for less-common therapies.
How Beem Health Helps You Maximize Your Benefits
Understanding your coverage is the first step. The real value lies in actually using every benefit. Beem Health bridges the gap by acting as your personal insurance navigator, digital assistant, and benefit maximizer.
The Beem Health Advantage
- Centralized Dashboard: Track appointments, preventive care completions, prescription savings, and wellness incentives in one view.
- Personalized Reminders: Beem Health notifies you about screenings, preventive exams, and expiring perks so you don’t miss a thing.
- Step-by-Step Guidance: Unsure how to enroll in a fitness benefit, switch to mail prescriptions, or claim a mental health service? The app offers user-friendly instructions.
- Access to Virtual Care: Book telehealth sessions, counseling, and provider consults directly—without switching apps or losing time.
- Support for Prescription Savings: Use built-in price comparison to lower drug costs and activate manufacturer or insurer discounts.
- Help for Families: Track your dependents’ preventive services, vaccines, eye exams, and dental checkups together.
Never leave money, well-being, or care behind—Beem Health keeps you ahead of the game.
Tips for Getting the Most from Your Health Insurance
- Review Your Plan Each Year: Benefits change—read your new plan documents and summary of benefits annually, even if your plan didn’t change.
- Use Beem Health’s Dashboard: Let the app scan and alert you to unused benefits, expiring gym credits, or new telehealth perks.
- Take Advantage of All Preventive and Wellness Services: Make your annual checkups a routine, get recommended screenings, and join available fitness or nutrition classes.
- Ask for Clarification: If you’re unsure about coverage, contact your insurer’s customer service OR Beem Health’s support chat—don’t let confusion cost you money.
- Coordinate Care with Your Providers: Ensure your primary care physician or specialists know all your wellness activities and preventive checkups, so nothing gets overlooked.
- Track Your Spending: Use Beem Health to monitor out-of-pocket costs, deductible progress, and how much you’re saving through extra programs.
- Explore Family Benefits: Many benefits extend to spouses, partners, and kids—track their usage, too!
Conclusion
Don’t settle for “just enough” from your health insurance. Whether it’s free screenings, telehealth, fitness classes, or pharmacy savings, your policy likely harbors a wealth of benefits that could save you money, support preventive care, and even make you healthier in the long run.
Beem Health empowers you to take charge of your wellness journey, with the flexibility and support you need in today’s fast-changing world. Ready to make a positive change? Sign up for Beem Health — from the house of Beem, the personal finance app trusted by over 5 million Americans — today and discover easy and rewarding healthcare. Download the app here.
FAQs About Maximizing Your Health Insurance
What are the most overlooked health insurance benefits?
The most commonly overlooked benefits include free preventive visits, vaccinations, mental health counseling, telehealth consults, gym or fitness discounts, mail-order prescription savings, dental and vision checkups, and alternative therapies.
How can I find out what’s included in my plan?
Check your insurer’s summary of benefits documentation, use your online member portal, or link your account to Beem Health for an automated review and personalized recommendations.
What if I have multiple insurance plans?
Beem Health lets you track benefits across multiple plans, so you can coordinate coverage, avoid duplication, and maximize what each policy offers.
Can I use Beem Health outside regular office hours?
Beem Health’s digital platform and support tools are available 24/7. You can book appointments, access telehealth, and get benefit guidance anytime.
Do employer-provided and individual plans offer the same extras?
Benefits vary, but most major plans—whether through work or the individual marketplace—include a range of preventive, wellness, and telehealth perks. Always check your specific plan details.
Is Beem Health only for the uninsured?
Not at all. Beem Health enhances the value of any plan—insured, underinsured, or uninsured—by identifying savings, tracking care, and providing direct access to affordable services.
How do I get started with my plan’s wellness or fitness programs?
Beem Health highlights eligible wellness incentives, helps you enroll, tracks participation, and can even remind you to claim associated rewards.
Can mental health services be accessed virtually?
Yes! Most insurance now covers virtual counseling, therapy, and check-ins. Beem Health connects you to licensed professionals for video or text-based sessions.
Are prescription mail-order services truly cheaper?
Often, yes. Insurers and pharmacies offer mail-order discounts for long-term medications—and the convenience of home delivery. Beem Health helps you compare and enroll.
How does Beem Health help me claim lesser-known benefits?
Beem Health walks you through activation, enrollment, and scheduling for each benefit step-by-step while tracking usage and deadlines—ensuring you squeeze every drop of value from your health insurance.
