• Online Scheduling | Careers

Laredo Medical Center
  • Quick Links
    • Find a Doctor
    • Services
      • Services

        • View All Services
        • Bariatric Weight Loss Services
        • Cancer Care
        • Diagnostic Imaging
        • Emergency Services
        • Heart Care
        • Inpatient Rehabilitation
        • Laboratory Services
        • Maternity Care
        • Orthopedic Services
        • Rehabilitation Services
        • Sleep Medicine
        • Surgical Services
        • Transitional Care
        • Walk-In Clinic
        • Women's Health
        • Wound Care
          • Patients & Visitors
            • For Patients

              • Patients & Visitors
              • Admissions
              • DAISY Award Nominations
              • Directions
              • Events
              • Financial Information
              • Going Home
              • Health Library
              • Online Scheduling
              • Patient Portal
              • Request Medical Records
              • Spiritual Care
                • Careers
                • Locations
                  • Hospitals
                  • Laredo CareClinic
                  • Freestanding Emergency Departments
                  • Surgical Facilities
                  • Other Locations
                • About
                  • About

                    • About Us
                    • Awards & Accreditations
                    • Careers
                    • Community Benefits
                    • Contact Us
                    • Newsroom
                    • Phone Directory
                    • Quality & Safety
                    • Speaker Requests
                    • Volunteer Opportunities
                      • (956) 796-5000
                      • Online Scheduling
                      • Online Bill Pay
                      • Patient Portal
                      • Events
                      • Contact
                      • analog clock icon
                      • Avg ER Wait:
                        9 Min

                        About ER Wait Times
                      Home/About Us/Newsroom/Make the Most of Your Health Insurance Before Year Ends

                      Refine Results

                      About Us
                      Awards & Accreditations
                      Careers
                      Hospital Opportunities
                      Nursing Opportunities
                      Physician & Provider Opportunities
                      Community Benefits
                      Contact Us
                      Newsroom
                      E-Newsletter Sign Up
                      LMC Medical Updates (NBC)
                      LMC Minuto de Salud (Univision)
                      2024 News Releases
                      2023 News Releases
                      2022 News Releases
                      2021 News Releases
                      2020 News Releases
                      2019 News Releases
                      2018 News Releases
                      2017 News Releases
                      2016 News Releases
                      2015 News Releases
                      Phone Directory
                      Quality & Safety
                      ADA Accessibility Policy
                      Diversity Policy
                      Joint Commission Notice
                      Notice of Privacy Practices
                      Organized Health Care Arrangement Status
                      Patient Rights & Responsibilities
                      Privacy Policy
                      Safety Improvement
                      Terms & Conditions
                      Speaker Requests
                      Volunteer Opportunities
                      eNewsletter Redirect
                      Events
                      Events
                      Find a Doctor
                      Locations
                      Notice of Non-Discrimination
                      Patients & Visitors
                      Services
                      • information
                      • news
                      • Avg ER Wait:
                        9 Min

                        About ER Wait Times
                      • Directions

                        Find Our Location
                      • Laredo Medical Center To Break Ground on New ER in South Laredo

                        06.06.2025

                      • Immerse Yourself in the Health Benefits of Swimming

                        06.06.2025

                      • See All News & Press Releases
                      • Sign Up For Our E-Newsletter

                        Sign Up For Our E-Newsletter

                        Featuring a monthly dose of information and inspiration for living well.

                        Learn More
                      • Mobile Device

                        Online Scheduling

                        Free, convenient online check-in services.

                        Learn More
                      • Nurse and Patient

                        Patient Portal

                        Access your medical information
                        on demand.

                        Learn More

                      Make the Most of Your Health Insurance Before Year Ends

                      11/26/2019

                      During the fall and winter months, it’s easy to get caught up in holiday planning and forget to take advantage of your insurance benefits. Every fall, individuals should direct their attention to outstanding healthcare needs and take full advantage of paid-up deductibles or available funds in Flexible Spending Accounts.

                      “In considering their healthcare needs, people also should consider the best strategy for using their available health insurance plan benefits,” said Jorge Gonzalez, Chairman, Laredo Medical Center Board of Trustees. “Now is the time to take advantage of unused benefits to complete outstanding treatments or recommended tests or procedures.”

                      Most health insurance plans have a deductible requirement—a predetermined amount of healthcare expense that must be covered before the plan begins paying the majority of (if not all) remaining expenses. Gonzalez says it’s crucial to know how close you are to meeting your deductible—or if you’ve already met it “because once you reach that threshold, you have a limited window of opportunity to obtain healthcare services and have the bulk of that expense covered by your plan. Remember, a new year brings a new deductible,” he says.

                      The close of 2019 also affects individuals who have Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), which are pre-tax dollars set aside primarily for health-related expenses. The Internal Revenue Service requires those funds to be spent—or forfeited—by December 31. It’s a “use it or lose it” proposition, says Gonzalez.

                      If you have been putting off scheduling care, such as an annual check-up, allergy testing, or knee replacement surgery, it would be wise to check your deductible status and your FSA balance to see if there’s money to be saved, encourages Dr. Teresa Irizarry Quiles, a local family medicine physician.

                      “It’s important to schedule services promptly so that there is enough time to have the test or elective procedure done before the end of the year. Getting everything squared away by early December will help ensure the services you receive are considered part of your 2019 coverage,” she says.

                      Every health plan is different. It is important to know how your plan works so you can get the most from your benefits. For questions about your plan, call your insurance provider.

                      To find a physician and/or schedule care, visit our physician directory or call 796-3223.

                      Back

                      Laredo Medical Center

                      • 1700 East Saunders St
                      • Laredo, TX 78041
                      • P: (956) 796-5000
                      • F: (956) 796-3173

                      • ADA Accessibility Policy
                      • Terms & Conditions
                      • Privacy Policy
                      • Change Your Privacy Choices
                      • Notice of Privacy Practices
                      • Patient Rights & Responsibilities
                      • Price Transparency

                      Copyright ©2025. All rights reserved.

                      An AllianceHealth Oklahoma® hospital

                      Services

                      • Bariatric Weight Loss Services
                      • Cancer Care
                      • Diagnostic Imaging
                      • Emergency Services
                      • Heart Care
                      • Inpatient Rehabilitation
                      • Laboratory Services
                      • Maternity Care
                      • Orthopedic Services
                      • Rehabilitation Services
                      • Sleep Medicine
                      • Surgical Services
                      • Transitional Care
                      • Walk-In Clinic
                      • Women's Health
                      • Wound Care

                      Patients & Visitors

                      • Admissions
                      • DAISY Award Nominations
                      • Directions
                      • Events
                      • Financial Information
                      • Going Home
                      • Health Library
                      • Online Scheduling
                      • Patient Portal
                      • Request Medical Records
                      • Spiritual Care

                      About Us

                      • Awards & Accreditations
                      • Careers
                      • Community Benefits
                      • Contact Us
                      • Newsroom
                      • Phone Directory
                      • Quality & Safety
                      • Speaker Requests
                      • Volunteer Opportunities

                      Notice of Nondiscrimination
                      • English,
                      • አማርኛ,
                      • العربية,
                      • বাংলা,
                      • ျမန္မာဘာသာ,
                      • tsalagi gawonihisdi,
                      • 繁體中文,
                      • Chahta,
                      • Oroomiffa,
                      • Nederlands,
                      • Français,
                      • Kreyòl Ayisyen,
                      • Deutsch,
                      • ગુજરાતી,
                      • हिंदी,
                      • Hmoob,
                      • Igbo asusu,
                      • Ilokano,
                      • Italiano,
                      • 日本語,
                      • 한국어,
                      • Ɓàsɔ́ɔ̀‑wùɖù‑po‑nyɔ̀,
                      • ພາສາລາວ,
                      • Kajin Ṃajōḷ,
                      • ខ្មែរ,
                      • Diné Bizaad,
                      • नेपाली,
                      • Deitsch,
                      • فارسی,
                      • Polski,
                      • Português,
                      • ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
                      • Română,
                      • Русский,
                      • Gagana fa'a Sāmoa,
                      • Srpsko‑hrvatski,
                      • Español,
                      • ܣܘܼܪܸܬ݂,
                      • Tagalog,
                      • ภาษาไทย,
                      • Türkçe,
                      • Українська,
                      • اُردُو,
                      • Tiếng Việt,
                      • èdè Yorùbá,
                      • עִברִית
                      Loading... Loading...