All guides
The big leaks · 9 min read

The 10 benefits almost no one claims (worth ~$8,500/yr)

Surveys consistently show insured Americans use about 8% of what their policy actually covers. Here are the ten biggest plays sitting on the table — and how to grab each one.

We catalog 98 perks at Squeeze. Most of them are real money for the right person. But ten of them are almost universal misses — meaning you probably qualify, and almost certainly aren't using them.

Add them up at the typical claim values and you're leaving roughly $8,500/year on the table. Even claiming half of these covers your Squeeze subscription for the next 100 years.

Methodology note: Dollar values below are typical annual values from carrier published amounts, ACA guidance, manufacturer copay cards, and Squeeze member self-reports. Your specific number depends on your plan, your meds, and your state. Anything we can't back up, we don't list.

1. Your free annual physical + 50+ preventive screenings — $350

ACA Section 2713 requires every plan to cover an annual physical and ~60 preventive screenings at $0 with no deductible. This includes lipid panel, A1C if you're at risk, depression screening, blood pressure, BMI, plus age-specific cancers (colon, lung, BRCA, skin).

The catch: the office has to bill it with a preventive CPT code (99381–99397 range). If they accidentally bill it as a problem visit, you get charged. Always say: "I'm scheduling my annual preventive physical, covered under ACA preventive services."

How to grab it: call your in-network PCP, schedule the visit in January or February (less crowded, full year for follow-ups). Bring a list of every med you take.

2. All ACIP-recommended vaccines at $0 — $200

Same ACA Section 2713 covers every adult vaccine the CDC recommends, with no copay, no deductible. That means: annual flu, annual COVID, Shingrix (50+, prevents shingles — which is brutal), Tdap booster every 10 years, HPV up to age 45 in many states, pneumonia (65+, or chronic conditions), Hep A & B (anyone exposed to body fluids).

How to grab it: walk into any in-network pharmacy (CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Costco) with your insurance card. Most do same-day. Check the CDC adult immunization schedule for what you're overdue on — many adults are 5–15 years behind without realizing.

3. Your carrier's rewards program — $300

Every major carrier runs a cash-back-style wellness rewards program nobody enrolls in:

How to grab it: Google "[your carrier] rewards program" or check your member portal. Most take 10 minutes to enroll. Connect a wearable for passive points.

4. Free in-network therapy (federal parity law) — $1,800

The federal Mental Health Parity Act requires every ACA-compliant plan to cover in-network mental health on equal footing with medical visits. That usually means a $20–$40 copay per session, and the "session caps" you might remember from old plans don't apply anymore.

Average paid-out-of-pocket therapy costs $150–250/session. In-network with a $30 copay = $120–220 saved per visit. Weekly therapy is ~$1,800/yr in pure waste avoided.

How to grab it: use Headway, Zencare, or Alma — these platforms show real availability + verified insurance acceptance. Skip Psychology Today; many listings are ghost networks.

5. Manufacturer copay cards for your branded Rx — $1,200–$12,000/yr

If you take any branded drug — GLP-1, biologic, asthma combo, blood thinner, statin brand — there's almost certainly a manufacturer copay card that drops your monthly cost to $0–$25, even on commercial insurance. The drug company makes more by getting you on the drug than by your copay. So they pay your copay for you.

The catch: only works with commercial (private) insurance. Medicare / Medicaid / VA / Tricare members go through the manufacturer's patient assistance program (PAP) instead — usually fully free if income under 400–600% FPL.

6. Free 24/7 telehealth, $0 copay on most plans — $240

Most plans dropped telehealth copays to $0 during COVID and never put them back. Sinus infection, UTI, rash, prescription refill, even derm photos — all from your couch in 15 minutes. Skip the $40–$80 urgent care copay.

Average insured American uses urgent care 1.3x/year. Reroute to telehealth = ~$240 saved.

How to grab it: open your carrier app, tap "Virtual visit" or "Talk to a doctor." Most match you with an MD in 5–15 min.

7. The $35/mo insulin cap (yes, even with private insurance) — $3,000

All three major insulin makers (Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi) voluntarily capped their products at $35/mo for commercial-insured patients in 2024 — matching the Medicare cap. This includes Humalog, Lantus, Novolog, Levemir, Basaglar, Toujeo, Tresiba, Lyumjev, and others. Most diabetics still don't enroll.

How to grab it: visit getinsulin.org — it routes you to the fastest path based on your zip + insurance. Or go direct: insulinaffordability.com (Lilly), novocare.com (Novo), insulinsbi.com (Sanofi).

8. Cost Plus Drugs / GoodRx / Amazon RxPass — $300

Roughly 40% of common prescriptions are cheaper at Cost Plus Drugs (manufacturer cost + 15% + $5 pharmacy + $5 shipping) than through your insurance copay. GoodRx beats insurance for many generics at a local pharmacy. Amazon RxPass is $5/mo for unlimited refills of 60 common generics (Prime required).

How to grab it: price-check every recurring Rx at costplusdrugs.com and goodrx.com. Mark Cuban's pharmacy will transfer scripts for free. If using GoodRx, tell the pharmacist don't run insurance — running both causes weird issues.

9. Hospital charity care (write off 100% of your bill) — $5,000+

Federal law (Section 501(r)) requires every nonprofit hospital to offer financial assistance. Most cover 100% of bills for income under 200% FPL, with many offering partial assistance up to 400–600% FPL. Hospitals are required to publish the policy — almost none promote it.

Applies to ER, surgery, labor & delivery, oncology — any bill. Backdates for bills up to 240 days old. Even if you have insurance, the portion insurance didn't cover can be covered through charity care.

How to grab it: dollarfor.org auto-detects your hospital's policy and tells you eligibility. They'll help you apply for free.

10. Year-end FSA spend-down (use it or lose it) — $640 average

About 27% of Americans with an FSA forfeit money at year-end. Average forfeit: $339/person. If you have a partner or family plan, double that.

EVERYTHING you might shop for is FSA-eligible: tampons + pads + period underwear, sunscreen + SPF lip balm, after-sun, prescription glasses + frames, contact lens solution, OTC pain relievers, allergy meds, BP monitors, thermometers, first aid, Theragun and massage devices, vitamins (with Truemed LMN), even gym memberships (with Truemed LMN).

How to grab it: log into your FSA portal in November. Check your remaining balance. Go to fsastore.com — every product is pre-vetted for eligibility. Or Amazon's FSA-eligible filter.

Bonus #11: ditch the deductible-first thinking

The biggest miss isn't a single benefit. It's a mindset: people assume because they have a $3,000 deductible, "insurance doesn't cover anything until I've paid $3,000." This is false. ACA preventive bypasses the deductible. Carrier rewards bypass it. Mental health copays bypass it (on most plans). The deductible only gates the medical-procedure side — and even there, it's billed in network "allowed amounts" rather than sticker price. See the deductible explainer.

Total: at the typical values above, claiming all ten of these adds up to roughly $13,000+ in year one if you're on a couple of branded drugs and have hit your deductible. For a healthier user with no chronic Rx? Still closer to $4,000–$6,000. We don't make these numbers up — they're sourced.

The Squeeze playbook does this work for you

Reading this guide is step one. Step two is applying it to your specific plan, your specific carrier, your specific state. That's what Squeeze does: scan your card, decode the SBC, and hand you a personalized list of every play available to you — with step-by-step instructions, claim URLs, and a deadline list before Dec 31.

Start your playbook here. $29/year, 14-day money-back, no data sold. Built for people who pay their own premiums.

Want this applied to your actual plan?

Squeeze pulls all of this together for you — your carrier, your deductible, your perks — in a single playbook.

Get my playbook →

$29/year · 14-day money-back · no shady BS