Medical Discount Plans – Not Health Insurance
There is a difference between medical discount blue light card plans and healthcare insurance. Health insurance helps defray the cost of routine, preventative medicine as well as catastrophic illness or injury expenses. In contrast, discount medical plans provide subscribers with a network of healthcare providers, pharmacies, and other health-related services from whom they can receive discounted rates on things like medical screenings, eye exams, dental care, and prescription medications. These plans are not healthcare coverage, but more like a network of providers who agree to provide discounts to members of specific plans. The providers get access to more customers without marketing, in exchange for offering discounts.
It is important not to confuse medical discount plans with health insurance. These discount plans often appeal to customers who have no insurance or whose insurance does not cover things like dental care or eye exams. Some programs are very beneficial. Other programs are nothing more than coupon books sold at over-inflated prices. Some programs genuinely offer members savings while others have such limited networks or minimal discounts that the plan is not worth the fee. However, none of these plans can be used in the event of a hospitalization or emergency illness.