August 2, 2023

Congratulations, you’re hired! When you get a job offering health benefits it’s important to understand the basics. How much does the health coverage cost? What’s covered under the plan? Which physicians are in-network and what does that mean? Our latest “Under the Coverage” episode dives into what people should know and consider about health benefits when they get a new job offer.

In “Understanding the Basics of Your Health Plan,” Nova’s director of service delivery and engagement, Jerame DellaPenta, returns for his third appearance on the podcast. When he’s not busy with his day job, DellaPenta volunteers for a workplace readiness program where he often addresses health insurance questions. He also recalls when he started one of his first jobs, he chose a health plan based on a commercial he had seen (which he doesn’t recommend as a basis for selecting coverage).

No matter where you’re coming from, when you start that first job and subscribe to your own health plan for the first time, there’s typically no component about how to be a consumer of health care. But when you need to go to the doctor, the first thing that provider’s office will ask is if you have insurance.

So where do you begin? DellaPenta directs most people to call their health insurer’s customer service department and ask questions such as whether their doctor is in-network, what will the cost of a service be, are there lower cost care options, etc.

“We’re (the customer service team) going to listen to your story,” DellaPenta said. “Let’s figure out how we’re going to tie in your story to your benefit, and then we’re going to point you in a direction.”

To hear more of DellaPenta’s advice, check out our latest episode, “Understanding the Basics of Your Health Plan.”

In 2022, Nova launched “Under the Coverage,” a podcast featuring people who spend their working days focused on health benefits and health care, to share their insider tips and information they wish every health care consumer knew.

How to Listen

New episodes – each 15 minutes or less! – are added regularly and are available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Amazon Music and TuneIn. You can also listen via digital assistants like Alexa, Google and Cortana. Just ask Alexa to, “play the Under the Coverage podcast on Apple Podcasts” (or wherever you get your podcasts).

Have an idea for a future episode or a question you’d like answered? Find Under the Coverage on Twitter @UndrTheCoverage or email podcast@novahealthcare.com.