title: Experts: know your patients' benefits and work to conserve them.
abstract: Case managers should know their patients' insurance benefits and out-of-pocket expenses when they develop a discharge plan to make sure the patient can afford the plan they are putting in place. Take policy limitations into account and preserve benefits for their future needs. Look for community resources such as medication assistance plans and clinics that charge a sliding scale when patients don't have coverage for needed services. Make sure patients and family members understand the benefits when they make choices about post-acute care.
mesh_terms: D019090:Case Management; D006801:Humans; D007342:Insurance Benefits; D011361:Professional Competence; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D014481:United States