Your health insurance policy is an agreement between you and your insurance company. The policy lists a package of medical benefits such as tests, drugs and treatment services. The insurance company agrees to cover cost of certain benefits listed in your policy. These are called "covered services."

Your health insurance policy also lists kinds of services that are not covered by your insurance company. You have to pay for any uncovered medical care health insurance that you receive. Keep in mind that in case of health insurance a medical necessity is not same as a medical benefit. A medical necessity is something that your doctor has decided is necessary. A medical benefit is something that your insurance plan has agreed to cover. In some cases, your doctor might decide that you need medical care that is not covered by your insurance policy.

Insurance companies determine what tests, drugs and services they will cover. These choices are based on their understanding of kinds of medical care that most patients need. Your insurance company's choices may mean that test, drug or service you need isn't covered by your policy.

There are several ways to help lower your cholesterol:

1. Exercise more. Try to get at least 30 minutes, 3 or 4 days a week (check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program) of exercises like walking, swimming, tennis or biking.

2. Lose weight if you are over your desired weight.

3. Follow a low cholesterol, low saturated fat diet.

According to National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, if you want to maintain a healthy cholesterol level, you should limit your diet to following:

Total fat calories should be less than 30% Total saturated fat should be less than 10% Total cholesterol from diet should be less than 300 milligrams

If your cholesterol is already too high and you want to reduce it, you should limit your diet to following:

Total fat calories should be less than 25-35% Total saturated fat should be less than 7% Total cholesterol from diet should be less than 200 milligrams

Cholesterol lowering foods

Foods containing Omega-3 fatty acids should be on everyone's diet. These are mostly fish, including sardines, salmon, albacore tuna, lake trout, mackerel and herring.

Canola, almonds, tofu, other forms of soybeans and flaxseed, and their oils contain alpha-linolenic acid (LNA), which can become omega-3 fatty acid in body.

Walnuts, almonds, pecans and other nuts have large amounts of polyunsaturated or monounsaturated

fats which help to lower cholesterol.