Most insurance plans have an annual deductible that requires you to pay a certain out-of-pocket amount for a covered claim before your insurance plan starts to pay. If, during the past year, you required medical services that caused you to meet your annual deductible, your insurance will now cover a larger portion of your medical costs for the remainder of the year. If you have postponed any needed care, it will cost you far less if you schedule it before your deductible resets on January 1, 2026.

Health savings accounts (HSAs) and flexible spending accounts (FSAs) are special savings accounts (provided by many insurance plans) that you can use to cover required or elective medical products or services. The difference is that the HSA is a portable, personal account for those with a high-deductible health plan while the FSA is part of employer-sponsored insurance and tied to your job. Additionally, FSA funds typically expire at the end of each year while HSA funds roll over indefinitely.

Because the FSA is usually a “use-it-or-lose-it” account, you must use these funds within the plan year or else you will forfeit the amount that you have to spend.

If you have met your deductible for the year, or if you have funds in an FSA set to expire, you may wish to schedule one of the following tests or procedures offered at Eastern Radiologists before January 1:

• MRI – If you have unexplained pain in the spine or joints that has not been accurately identified or properly diagnosed, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam may be helpful. It is the best way to determine the cause of pain within the body’s musculoskeletal system.
• Migraine headache treatment – At Eastern Radiologists, we offer migraine treatment using the SphenoCath device. This clinically proven treatment succeeds where other treatments fail, and it can help you reduce or even eliminate pain medications and their associated side effects.
• Varicose vein treatment – We offer endovenous laser ablation (EVLT) for varicose veins and sclerotherapy for spider veins. These proven, minimally invasive treatments can eliminate unsightly, bulging veins or spider veins without surgery and without downtime.
• Uterine fibroid embolization – A proven alternative to hysterectomy and myomectomy surgery, this minimally invasive procedure effectively cuts off the blood supply to the fibroids, causing them to shrink and symptoms (such as pain, cramping and heavy menstrual bleeding) are significantly reduced.

If you have questions about your insurance benefits and would like to know if it makes sense to schedule a test or procedure that we offer, call us! We’ll be happy to help you determine if scheduling before the end of your plan year can benefit you financially.