FREQUENTLY ASKED BENEFITS QUESTIONS

Q:  Dear Expert,

Often, when visiting a doctor or dentist, they ask me whether I have insurance coverage when discussing a planned course of treatment or prescription drug. I want to know why this makes a difference and am I accepting lesser care if I say that I do not have coverage?

Signed,
Perplexed

A:  Dear Perplexed,

Well, the first thing you should know is that the question “do you have private coverage?” is a common one asked by most medical practitioners, from doctors to chiropractors. The why, we hope in most circumstances, stems from a concern over your wallet. Any medical treatment comes at a cost to either or all of your provincial Medicare plan, your employer’s private insurance plan, and your wallet. Your medical practitioners are aware of the constant stream of new treatments available in the market place. Unfortunately, new treatments are often costly and not necessarily better. The existence of insurance coverage provides the financial resources necessary to help you access treatment without you having to determine whether you can personally afford the costs. While medical treatment should not be based solely on affordability, price can be a major factor in some situations, thereby prompting the question, “do you or don’t you”?

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