Hospital Indemnity Insurance provides you with a cash benefit you can use to help pay expenses when you have a covered hospital stay.

If you’ve ever been hospitalized, then you already know that your major medical insurance may not pay all of your medical expenses. Whatever remains is what you’ll be expected to pay on your own. Deductibles, copays, out-of-network charges, and other uncovered expenses can add up to big bills, even for a short hospital stay.

That’s where Hospital Indemnity Insurance comes in handy. You can use the cash benefit you receive from this policy to help you cover not just bills related to your medical care, but any other expenses as well.

• Pays a benefit for you to use however you want
• The payment is made directly to you
• It can help pay out-of-pocket expenses related to medical care associated with covered accidents
• In addition to medical care, you may use it to pay for things like childcare, lodging, or over-the-counter medication

You can collect this benefit in addition to other coverage you have, including your employer’s major medical plan, any other type of medical coverage, disability insurance, or other benefits you may be eligible to collect. However, it is NOT health insurance and does not satisfy the requirement of minimum essential coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

A hospital stay can be costly to your finances in two ways:

• Medical bills. After being admitted, you have expenses for each day you’re in the hospital – and even a short stay can end up being costly. In addition to the stay itself, treatments, tests, and surgery can add to the cost.
• Lost wages. Each day in the hospital could mean taking time out of work, or a family member may take time away from their job to help support you. If this impacts the paycheck that your family relies on, you may need to dig into savings or even borrow money. Hospital Indemnity Insurance helps alleviate these worries.  

Since you have the freedom and flexibility to choose how you spend your benefit payment, you can use it to help pay for anything you want. Even use it to help pay regular living expenses such as grocery bills, mortgage payments, childcare, and transportation – all of which could become a concern if you lose income while you’re in the hospital.

Instead of turning to your savings or taking on credit card debt to pay those medical bills, you can use the cash you receive from this policy to help pay them. That means less time spent worrying about money and more time spent focused on getting well again.

You can enroll in Hospital Indemnity Insurance:

1. Within your new hire enrollment period
2. If you have a qualifying life event (you get married, have a baby, etc.)
3. During annual enrollment

Check with your human resources/benefits team for specifics about these timeframes.

Keep in mind: If you enroll during these timeframes, you have what is called "guaranteed issue," which means no medical questions or tests are required to enroll. Pre-existing condition limitations may apply.