Review Before You Renew: 5 Things to Check Before Choosing Your Healthcare for Another Year

By Danielle & Ben Wasson
September 12, 2026

Every year, millions of us renew our healthcare almost automatically.

We get the paperwork. We see what the new monthly cost will be. Maybe we complain that it went up again. Then we sign on the dotted line and move on.

Why?

I think healthcare has become one of those expenses we simply expect to have.

Think about your cell phone plan. How many months or years have you paid that bill without stopping to compare what you're paying with what you're actually getting?

Healthcare can be the same way.

Except we're not talking about a $75 cell phone bill.

For many families, healthcare is one of the largest expenses in their monthly budget. And what happens when you actually need to use that healthcare can have an even bigger financial impact.

That's why this year, I'm encouraging people to do something before they automatically renew:

Review before you renew.

What Does That Mean?

It doesn't mean your current healthcare is bad.

In fact, we've reviewed healthcare with people and told them, "Stay exactly where you are. What you have is fantastic."

That's the point.

This isn't about convincing everyone to change. It's about having enough information to make an educated decision.

Because sometimes people discover things about their current coverage they had absolutely no idea about.

That happened recently with someone I'll call Tom.

When we reviewed his healthcare, Tom discovered that he had zero coverage outside his network.

He didn't know that.

And his network was fairly restrictive.

That became especially important because Tom owns a martial arts studio and needed access to a sports medicine specialist. Suddenly, being able to choose the provider he wanted wasn't some little benefit buried in a healthcare brochure.

It mattered.

He also discovered that his $3,000 deductible was per person. There were three people on the plan.

Those are the kinds of details you want to understand before you commit to another year.

So when we do a Healthcare Savings Review, there are five areas I want people to examine.

1. What Are Your Network Restrictions?

Start here.

Are you required to use in-network providers?

What happens if you go out of network?

Are you still covered, but at a different level? Or do you have no out-of-network coverage at all?

And don't assume you know the answer.

Look it up.

I learned firsthand how important this can be.

I had an emergency, and the hospital closest to our home happened to be out of network under the coverage I had at the time. I knew that because I had previously checked whether I could go there for something else.

But imagine if I hadn't known.

In an emergency, the last thing I want to be thinking about is:

"Wait. Am I allowed to go to this hospital?"

For some people, freedom to choose their healthcare providers can be every bit as important as the monthly cost.

2. What Is Your Deductible?

Don't stop at the number printed in big letters on the summary.

Ask:

What is my in-network deductible?

What is my out-of-network deductible?

Is that deductible per person?

Is there a separate family deductible?

If you cover a spouse and children, this becomes especially important.

A $3,000 deductible can sound very different once you realize it's potentially $3,000 per person.

You need to know how your plan actually works for your family, not just what the headline number says.

3. What Happens After You've Met the Deductible?

This is where healthcare costs can become confusing.

Meeting your deductible doesn't necessarily mean you're finished paying.

What is your responsibility afterward?

Do you pay 10%? 20%? 40%?

Does that change when you're out of network?

And most importantly:

What is your maximum financial exposure if something significant happens?

Don't compare healthcare based only on the monthly premium.

The monthly cost matters, of course. But it is only one part of the equation.

You need to understand the entire financial picture.

4. What Happens When You Travel?

This is one people don't always think about until they're away from home.

What happens if you're visiting another state and need medical care?

What happens if you're in Canada, Mexico, Europe or somewhere else internationally and have an accident or medical emergency?

Your lifestyle matters when you're choosing healthcare.

Someone who rarely leaves their hometown may have very different priorities from someone who travels regularly, has children living in another state or spends part of the year somewhere else.

Find out what your coverage actually does when you leave home.

5. What Else Are You Getting?

Finally, look at the entire package.

Do you have prescription benefits or access to prescription discounts?

What about dental and vision?

Telemedicine?

Wellness benefits?

Gym or fitness incentives?

Are those included, available at an additional cost or not available at all?

Don't assume.

Ask.

"But My Healthcare Is Through My Employer"

I hear this one a lot.

And employer-sponsored healthcare may absolutely be your best choice.

But don't assume that simply because your employer offers it, it's automatically the best solution for your entire family.

Sometimes an employer contributes significantly toward the employee's coverage, but adding a spouse and children becomes extremely expensive.

That's when it's worth doing the math.

Maybe everyone should stay on the employer plan.

Maybe the employee stays and the family uses another option.

Maybe there's another combination that makes more sense.

There isn't one answer that works for everybody.

That's why we compare.

It's Not Just About Finding the Cheapest Option

This is important.

Cheapest doesn't automatically mean best.

For one family, reducing the monthly cost may be the biggest priority.

For someone else, being able to choose their own doctors may matter more.

Another family may be concerned about what happens when they travel.

A self-employed person might be looking at the maximum amount they could potentially have to pay if something major happens.

A small-business owner may be looking at healthcare costs across an entire team.

Different people have different needs.

The goal isn't to find the cheapest healthcare.

The goal is to find the healthcare solution that makes the most sense for you.

What If You Don't Have Healthcare Right Now?

Then this conversation may be even more important.

There are alternatives to traditional health insurance that many people simply don't know exist, including healthcare-sharing programs.

These aren't health insurance, and they work differently from traditional insurance. That distinction matters.

But depending on your situation, they may be worth understanding and comparing alongside your other options.

The important thing is to know what's available instead of assuming your choices are limited to what you've always done.

So, Before You Renew...

Pull out your current healthcare information.

Then answer these five questions:

1. What are my network restrictions, including out-of-network care?

2. What are my deductibles for an individual and my family?

3. What do I pay after the deductible, and what is my maximum financial responsibility?

4. What happens when I travel outside my local area or internationally?

5. What additional benefits, discounts or services are included?

Then look at what you're paying every month.

Now you have something meaningful to compare.

And if looking at all of that makes your head hurt, that's exactly why we offer a Healthcare Savings Review.

We'll sit down with you, look at what you currently have and compare your options.

Sometimes our solution makes more sense.

Sometimes the savings can be significant.

And sometimes we'll look at what you already have and tell you:

Don't change a thing.

That's okay too.

There is no pressure and no judgment.

Because Review Before You Renew isn't about getting you to switch healthcare.

It's about making sure you don't sign on the dotted line for another year without knowing what you're actually signing up for.

Maybe what you have is exactly what you should keep. Maybe there's a better option. But shouldn't you know before you renew?

Ready to Review?

Before you renew your healthcare for another year, schedule a Healthcare Savings Review with Team Wasson.

We'll look at the numbers, your family's needs and the options available to you so you can make an educated decision.

Review first. Decide second. Renew only when you know.

Related Articles:

• https://teamwasson.com/post/faq-compare-healthcare-options

• https://teamwasson.com/post/why-cheapest-healthcare-isnt-always-best

• https://teamwasson.com/post/faq-reviewing-your-monthly-bills-6728

Still have a question? We'd love to help.Schedule a complimentary virtual coffee, and we'll answer your questions, review your current services if you'd like, and help you explore your options, without pressure or obligation.

Danielle & Ben Wasson