Exclusions are the services or epenses that are not paid by individual and family health insurance plans. It is important that you know what these exclusions are so that you are guided on what services to pay out of your own pocket. The list of exclusions is usually amongst your individual or family health insurance plans’ paperwork. They are usually listed as a separate section. If you find that the list of exclusions is long, then the insurance company may have compiled all the ecluded services there. However, if the list is short, there might be other lists that are located in other sections of the plans’ paperwork. After finding the list or lists of exclusions, cross-check the items with the usual exclusions from individual and family health insurance plans. If you have a stay at the hospital, ecluded items may include requests for routine, convenience or comfort items such as humidifiers, cough syrups, etra pillows, Band-Aids, telephones, and TV. Eclusions might also include elective procedures such as reconstructive surgeries, including cosmetic surgeries, or any se change surgeries; private nursing or home care service; dental, vision or hearing care, including hearing and visual aids; elective abortions; surgeries or sterilization procedures; behavioral, learning disabilities; and eperimental treatments or drugs, including non-prescription drugs. These items are usually listed as eclusions in individual and family health insurance plans. Check if there’s anything missing from the list of eclusions in your individual and family insurance plans. This will protect you against unepected medical bills. Because provisions of individual and family health insurance plans vary across States, you can check which of these eclusions might be mandated by the State. This means that health insurance companies would be required to pay for such services. You can contact your state insurance commissioner as to which of the services in this list may be mandated in your State. - June 16, 2009 @ 5:01 pm

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