UNDERSTANDING HEALTH CARE PLANS TO MAXIMIZE BENEFITS IN ID

It's a new year and if you're working on a new you, your journey might begin at the doctor's office. That's one reason it's important for people in Idaho and across the country to understand their health-care benefits.

Grasping how a health insurance plan works and what it offers is critical, as well as knowing which doctors are considered in network. Idaho Department of Insurance Director Dean Cameron said many people also have preventive care coverage that they should take advantage of.

"Most plans under the ACA have good preventive care benefits," said Cameron. "They'll pay for preventive care upfront, as long as it's listed by the physician as, in fact, a preventive care treatment."

Cameron noted that these checkups can be crucial in catching health issues early. He said if any Idaho resident has issues with a health-care provider or wants to understand more about how health insurance operates, they can reach out to his department.

A survey from 2024 found one in four respondents felt they had little or no information about their company's health-care benefits.

Amy Jordan is vice president of consumer experience with UnitedHealthcare and said her company is investing heavily in digital tools. She said digital tools are becoming an increasingly important way for people to get detailed information on their plans.

"The health-care system can be quite complex," said Jordan, "but these tools are specifically built to help provide members the information they need to make the best decision possible – whether that's evaluating providers for their own specific needs in terms of quality, or based off of what they're practicing day in and day out."

Jordan also advised people to look into their mental health coverage, and also ancillary coverage through vision and dental plans.

2026-02-09T01:13:17Z