If you're an American, no doubt one of your primary concerns when you're looking for a job is that your employer provides you with medical insurance. Most Americans simply cannot afford to pay their own medical bills. Even a Canadian citizen who has a provincial health plan, like OHIP, might need extra medical insurance while traveling to cover things like prescription drugs or emergency evacuation. Whatever your reason for looking for medical insurance, here are some of the things you should look at when choosing a plan.

Qualifying

Some medical plans will cover you without a medical exam first, but these plans tend to either be very expensive or come with unreasonable limitations. This is why most insurance companies require you to submit to a medical exam before you are approved. If you have any underlying medical conditions, such as asthma or diabetes, or if you have chronic problems from an old accident involving work, you may not be approved. Many of us go to work everyday counting on the fact our employer is doing everything necessary to keep us safe, but sadly that is not always the case. The lawyers at Scarfone Hawkins (S H Law.ca) see cases regularly involving accidents at work.

Caps

Ideally you want a medical plan that will cover your hospital costs no matter how many tests and procedures the doctors want to do. Unfortunately, many medical plans come with a daily or overall cap that can hamper the doctors' ability to help you. For instance, if your company won't pay more than $100,000 per day and you need immediate surgery after your accident, you'll be stuck paying the overage out of your own pocket.

Restrictions

With some plans, you have to be extremely careful about where you go for treatment and who you tell beforehand. Some plans will only cover you for work done at a certain hospital, while others require the doctors to get prior clearance for procedures before they go ahead and perform them. You could end up liquidating your assets to pay your bills if you fail to meet these conditions unless it's a life threatening emergency.

Dependant Coverage

One of the most important factors for many people when they're insurance shopping is whether or not coverage is also extended to their dependants. Most plans won't cover trips to the dentist or alternative medicine, but it's within reason for you to hold out for a plan that will also cover your children and your spouse, especially if they have no means of getting their own medical insurance.

To find out whether the group plan your employer offers comes with these conditions attached, always read your policy carefully before you agree to anything and ask questions about anything you don't understand.