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Treatment Options for Atrial Fibrillation (AFib)

Atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib, is the most common type of serious heart arrhythmia. While some people might never experience any symptoms accompanying AFib, others might end up with serious health complications, including stroke. In fact, according to the CDC, more than 450,400 hospitalizations with AFib as the primary diagnosis are reported each year in the US. But there are multiple treatment options available for AFib; it’s important to know what they are, so you can find out which will suit your specific needs best.

Atrial Fibrillation & What It Does To Your Body

Atrial fibrillation typically develops in the upper chambers of your heart. If you are in AFib, it means that your heart’s electrical system isn’t working as it should, because your electrical impulses have become chaotic. Your SA node, which generates an electrical signal that causes the upper heart chambers to contract, isn’t directing your heart’s electrical rhythm. Instead, many different impulses are rapidly firing at the same time, causing a chaotic rhythm.

There are three main types of atrial fibrillation:

Paroxysmal AFib lasts less than one week and usually clears up on its own without treatment.
Persistent AFib lasts more than one week and requires treatment.
Long-standing persistent AFib lasts more than a year and is sometimes difficult to treat.

You have a higher risk of developing AFib if you have any of the following conditions:

Obesity
Type 2 diabetes
Heart failure
Coronary artery disease
Congenital heart disease
Lung diseases
Sleep apnea
Hyperthyroidism
High blood pressure

Treatment Options

There are multiple treatment options available for AFib, including:

Medications

There are various types of medications that can help treat AFib, like rate control medications, which prevent the ventricles from beating too fast. There are also rhythm control medications, which help your heart beat in a normal rhythm, and are used to maintain the heart’s rhythm with no arrhythmias. In addition, blood thinners can reduce the risk of blood clots and stroke. Rate control medication is generally the first line of treatment for AFib, since it controls the heart rate without changing its rhythm, helping to bring your heart rate to a normal level.

Surgeries

Surgery is another option that can help regulate your heartbeat. Surgical options include:

Electrical cardioversion electrically “resets” your heart rhythm using low-energy shocks.
Pulmonary vein ablation uses catheters to deliver energy outside and around your pulmonary veins.
A permanent pacemaker might be inserted if you have a slow heart rate, but this is usually only done if you have another arrhythmia in addition to AFib.
Left atrial appendage closure is a procedure that reduces your risk of blood clots and stroke.
The MAZE procedure creates scar tissue that helps your heart’s electrical impulses travel in the right path., and has a high success rate.

Affordable Coverage

So, while AFib can cause serious complications, there are multiple treatment options that can help keep this condition under control. They can be expensive, though, so it’s important to have comprehensive health insurance.

The best way to find a plan that suits your needs is to work with a licensed agent who is familiar with all available plans. EZ can help you in your search for comprehensive coverage, since we offer a wide range of health insurance plans from top-rated insurance companies in every state. And because we work with so many companies, and can offer all of the plans available in your area, we can find you a plan that saves you a lot of money – even hundreds of dollars – even if you don’t qualify for a subsidy. There is no obligation, or hassle, just free quotes on all available plans in your area. To get free instant quotes, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to a local agent, call 888-350-1890.

What Happens If I Don’t Do Anything During The Open Enrollment Period?

The ACA Open Enrollment Period only comes around once a year, usually lasting from November 1- December 15, although this year the deadline has been extended to January 15. During this period, you can enroll in a new health insurance plan, or make changes to your current plan. If you’re happy with your current plan, though, you might opt to not do anything at all during the Open Enrollment Period – but not doing anything can have certain consequences, depending on your situation.

You Could Get Stuck With Your Current Plan

This might not necessarily be a bad thing if you are happy with your current plan, but if your plan isn’t quite right for you, you will unfortunately be stuck with it until the next Open Enrollment Period opens up again.

You’ll Miss The Opportunity To Change Your Plan

If you don’t take the opportunity to review your current plan and do nothing during the Open Enrollment Period, you won’t be able to change your plan. What this really means is that your health insurance might:

Not provide enough coverage for the following year, which will cost you money.
Have too much coverage that you don’t need, essentially leaving you to pay for insurance that you don’t need.
Be too expensive. If you don’t change your plan during the OEP, you’ll be stuck with the rise in rates and costs for the following year.

Options Are Limited Afterwards

If you don’t have health insurance and are looking to enroll in a plan, but you do nothing during the Open Enrollment Period, you won’t be able to get a Marketplace or exchange health insurance plan – in other words, you won’t be able to get an ACA-compliant health plan. With that being said, you do have other options even if you miss the OEP, but you should be aware that they are very limited. For example, you can opt to get a short-term health insurance plan that covers the essentials and nothing more; this type of insurance is temporary and not ideal for those who require more comprehensive coverage, or have health conditions. Short term plans are not guaranteed issue, meaning they do not cover pre-existing conditions.

You Will Need To Qualify For an SEP

The only way to get an affordable health insurance plan that is ACA-compliant outside of the OEP is to qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, or SEP. A Special Enrollment Period is only available to those who have a qualifying life event, including: movers with boxes and a truck and houses in the background

Change in residence (moving to a different zip code or county)
Change in household size (having a baby or adopting a child, getting married, or getting divorced)
Loss of health insurance (losing employment, turning 26 and getting kicked off of a parent’s plan, or a death in the family)
Changes in income

Don’t Do Nothing…

Compare plans! There’s no harm in comparing plans and seeing your options before the Open Enrollment Period ends. But we get that it can be a headache to try and research all the different plans around, so we’re here to help! Our highly trained agents will take the time to talk with you and thoroughly explain all of your options. Once you are ready to enroll, they will search through all the plans in your area and find the right plan for you, making sure the plan fits your needs and budget. EZ always provides you with your own personal agent, so there’s never any need to worry about bouncing around from agent to agent or getting hassled by endless sales calls. To get started, enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to an agent directly, call 888-350-1890.

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