Tips to Beat the High Cost of Healthcare
By Chauncey Crandall, M.D.
No matter what type of healthcare coverage you have, costs can be vexing. For one thing, it’s a stacked system, and most patients have no idea what charges they generally incur until after their procedure.
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Here are a few ways to stretch your healthcare dollars:
• Ask for a discount. One surgical clinic found that 61% of patients who asked for a discount got one. Some doctors will offer a discount simply for paying up front or in cash.
• Check hospital bills carefully. Medical bills can be rife with errors, so track all your medications, treatments, and procedures, then carefully cross check them. According to Medical Billing Advocates of America, billing errors were made in favor of the healthcare provider 80% of the time.
• Take advantage of perks. Some health plans offer memberships to gyms, such as the “Silver Sneakers” program, designed for senior citizens. Others offer smoking cessation programs or other ways to stay healthy.
• Follow the rules. Stay within your healthcare network and abide by other rules laid out in your health plan. If you are given a menu of options, pick the plan you can afford that also provides you with the most choice. That way, you’ll probably be able to keep the doctor you want. If in doubt, a phone call will usually resolve the problem.
• Don’t go to the ER for routine problems. If you need to see a doctor and yours isn’t available, an urgent care center is far less expensive than a visit to the emergency room. But, if you suspect you are suffering a heart attack or other cardiac emergency, call 911. In such cases, the ER is your only good choice.
• Save receipts. Prescription drugs that you purchase for yourself, your spouse, or your dependents may be tax deductible, subject to certain stipulations.
By Chauncey Crandall, M.D.
No matter what type of healthcare coverage you have, costs can be vexing. For one thing, it’s a stacked system, and most patients have no idea what charges they generally incur until after their procedure.
Special: Stubborn Belly Fat Can Be Fixed. Naturally.
Here are a few ways to stretch your healthcare dollars:
• Ask for a discount. One surgical clinic found that 61% of patients who asked for a discount got one. Some doctors will offer a discount simply for paying up front or in cash.
• Check hospital bills carefully. Medical bills can be rife with errors, so track all your medications, treatments, and procedures, then carefully cross check them. According to Medical Billing Advocates of America, billing errors were made in favor of the healthcare provider 80% of the time.
• Take advantage of perks. Some health plans offer memberships to gyms, such as the “Silver Sneakers” program, designed for senior citizens. Others offer smoking cessation programs or other ways to stay healthy.
• Follow the rules. Stay within your healthcare network and abide by other rules laid out in your health plan. If you are given a menu of options, pick the plan you can afford that also provides you with the most choice. That way, you’ll probably be able to keep the doctor you want. If in doubt, a phone call will usually resolve the problem.
• Don’t go to the ER for routine problems. If you need to see a doctor and yours isn’t available, an urgent care center is far less expensive than a visit to the emergency room. But, if you suspect you are suffering a heart attack or other cardiac emergency, call 911. In such cases, the ER is your only good choice.
• Save receipts. Prescription drugs that you purchase for yourself, your spouse, or your dependents may be tax deductible, subject to certain stipulations.