Insurance Education

What is a Member ID?

Your Member ID (also called a subscriber ID or member number) is a unique identifier assigned to you by your insurance company. It appears on your insurance car...

What is a Group Number?

Your Group Number identifies the specific insurance plan that covers you — usually tied to your employer or organization. It appears on your insurance card alon...

Where do I find my Member ID and Group Number?

Both are printed on your physical insurance card. You can also find them by: • Logging into your insurer's member portal or app • Calling the member services nu...

What is a deductible?

A deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket for covered health services before your insurance starts sharing costs. For example, if your deductible is $1,0...

What is the difference between individual and family deductibles?

An individual deductible applies to one person on the plan. A family deductible is a combined cap for everyone on the plan. Once the family deductible is met, a...

What does "remaining deductible" mean in AskMD?

This is how much of your deductible you still need to pay before your insurance starts covering costs. AskMD displays both your individual remaining deductible...

What does "in-network" mean?

In-network means the doctor, hospital, or provider has a contract with your insurance company to provide services at negotiated rates. Seeing an in-network prov...

What does "out-of-network" mean?

Out-of-network means the provider does not have a contract with your insurance plan. You may still be able to see them, but your insurance may cover less — or n...

How does AskMD know which doctors are in my network?

When you connect your insurance plan, AskMD uses your plan information to filter provider search results by network status. Providers are tagged as in-network o...

What are coverage dates?

Coverage dates are the start and end dates of your current insurance plan period — the window during which your insurance is active and benefits apply. AskMD di...

What does "active" vs "inactive" insurance status mean?

"Active" means your insurance is currently in force and claims can be processed. "Inactive" means your coverage has ended, not yet started, or has lapsed due to...

My insurance just started — why is my status showing as inactive?

There can be a delay of a few days between when your plan becomes effective and when eligibility systems update. Try reconnecting your insurance in a few days....

I changed jobs and have new insurance. How do I update my plan in AskMD?

Go to Profile → Health Plan, remove your existing insurance, and connect your new plan using your new Member ID and Group Number from your new insurance card.

What is a copay?

A copay is a fixed amount you pay for a covered health service — for example, $20 for a primary care visit or $50 for a specialist — regardless of what the tota...

What is coinsurance?

Coinsurance is the percentage of costs you pay after your deductible is met. For example, if your coinsurance is 20% and your insurer's negotiated rate for a se...

What is an out-of-pocket maximum?

The out-of-pocket maximum is the most you'll have to pay for covered services in a plan year. After you reach this amount — through deductibles, copays, and coi...

What is a prior authorization?

Prior authorization (also called pre-authorization or pre-approval) is approval your insurance company requires before you receive certain services, procedures,...

What is an EOB (Explanation of Benefits)?

An EOB is a statement from your insurance company explaining what was billed, what they covered, and what you owe after a medical service. AskMD does not curren...

What is the difference between an HMO, PPO, and EPO?

These are types of health insurance plans with different rules about which providers you can see: • HMO (Health Maintenance Organization): Requires a primary ca...

My insurance card hasn't arrived yet. Can I still connect my insurance to AskMD?

You can try logging into your insurer's member portal to get your Member ID and Group Number digitally — most insurers make this available within days of enroll...

Does AskMD support Medicaid or Medicare plans?

AskMD's insurance integration supports a wide range of commercial payer and government plan types. Search for your specific plan name during the connection flow...

Does AskMD support employer self-insured plans?

Many employer self-insured plans are administered by major insurance carriers (Aetna, Blue Cross, Cigna, etc.) and are supported. Enter the name of the plan adm...