If you are purchasing health insurance the details of your plan are crucial and there various questions which you have to ask. Simply looking at the premium which you are being asked to pay is not enough and you have to look at a variety of different things including any limitations, restrictions on where treatment can be undertaken, exclusions, additional fees and payment requirements and a number of other things.

Below are several very important questions that you must always ask when you are purchasing health insurance:

1. What out-of-pocket expenses and deductibles will I have to pay? Your premiums are merely the beginning and the vast majority of plans require you to cover your bills up to a specified figure before your insurance kicks in. After that, you will generally also be required to make a payment towards the cost of each individual bill.

2. Are health screenings and medical examinations covered under the plan? Examine the plan to find out whether or not your plan covers you for routine health examinations including such things as breast exams, mammograms and pap smears for women.

3. How are specialist care treatments and referrals dealt with? Look at the procedures to be followed if you have to be referred for specialist care and whether or not there are special provisions for meeting the cost of special care treatment.

4. What level of cover is given for emergency care and hospitalization? {Take a look to see if you will need prior approval for hospital or emergency treatment. It might seem crazy but a lot of plans will not allow you to ask for emergency care without the prior approval of a specific physician.

5. What cover is given for prescription medication? A lot of plans limit the drugs which can be prescribed often stating that listed generic drugs rather than brand name drugs have to be prescribed. You also need to look very carefully at what proportion of any cost which you will be required to meet for medication.

6. Is cover for vision and dental care provided? A lot of plans do not provide cover for dental and vision care at all although some limit care to just routine annual dental and eye checkups.

7. Is psychiatry, psychotherapy and other mental health care cover provided? Not all insurance plans will provide cover for these areas and where cover is given you have to look very carefully at exactly what level of cover is being offered.

8. Is hospital, nursing home and home care covered? It is very important to look at the extent to which cover is given for care in a nursing home, hospital or at home and whether or not there is a ceiling on any cover.

9. Is rehabilitation and physiotherapy cover provided? Accident or illness frequently results in a need for physiotherapy or rehabilitation and so it is important to examine the extent to which these are covered.

10. Is alternative care covered? As an increasing number of us are choosing alternative treatments like the use of holistic treatments or acupuncture you should check to see whether these are covered if this is an area which you want to make use of.

The premium which you will have to pay for your health insurance plan is certainly very important but you have to bear in mind that it is just one small element of the overall package which you are purchasing.