John Karwowski, Vascular Surgeon, On Your Health Plan

If you’re one of the 44 million Americans living without health insurance, then you probably realize just how big of an issue this is. Health insurance is a necessity. You’ll certainly need to visit a doctor at some point in your life, and medical bills are very difficult to pay off, even with the assistance of health insurance. For some, it may be an option to opt out of health insurance, but for most, they simply cannot afford it.

For those that are incredibly fortunate enough to have health insurance, you can take solace in the fact that most insurance policies actually cover a wide range of surprising services. Of course, I must note that you should comb through your own health insurance policy before taking any of my word as scripture.

With all of that being said, here are some surprising things that your health insurance policy might cover.

Gym Membership
Have you been meaning to get to the gym and get fit? Maybe your New Year’s resolution involves spending some time on the treadmill. If so, you might want to consider using your health insurance to cover the cost. Certain health insurance companies will actually pay some of your membership, and if you have an amazing policy, you might get full coverage. Your insurance policy is more likely to cover large, chain gyms, like LA Fitness, but it doesn’t hurt to check if they also cover smaller gyms.

Hot Tub
Who wouldn’t want to use their insurance plan to cover the cost of a hot tub so that you can sit down in some warm water and relax? It sounds almost too good to be true, doesn’t it? Well, it is and it isn’t. It is true that your health insurance provider might cover the cost of a hot tub, but you would need a legitimate medical reason for the tub. This would require a prescription from your doctor which you’d have to present to your insurance company. If they deem it legitimate, you may very well be living in the lap of hot tub luxury, free of charge!

Massage Therapy
Similar to the hot tub, this coverage comes with a caveat: you must require the massage therapy. In short, you must have an approved medical prescription from your physical therapist or other physician to prescribe some kind of physical therapy, like massage therapy. While your insurance provider might not cover the entirety of your bill, they might assist with a decent portion of it.

Again, I must emphasize the importance of looking through your own health insurance plan to see if any of these services are covered.

About John Karwowksi

John Karwowski is an experienced and dedicated medical professional who's been practicing for several decades. More specifically, John Karwowski is a tenured vascular surgeon who's practiced around the country providing top-notch service to hundreds of clients. John Karwowski is currently based out of Baltimore, Maryland, but he has practiced out of New York City and Miami.