For almost everyone around the globe, healthcare is the first priority. After all, we have all grown up with the saying “health is wealth”. However, we can never predict accidents, injuries, or illnesses. No matter how fit we are, we never know what can happen in the next moment.
Medical emergencies often cost quite a lot of money simply because healthcare itself has become extremely expensive. This has reached an alarming rate where nearly 57% of Americans owe a medical bill debt of at least $1000.
If you’re also figuring out ways to cut down on your medical bills, here are some working tips for you.
- Use in-network providers
If you have a preferred provider option, or PPO health insurance plan, it will cover most of the cost of your bill, minus the co-pay. This only happens when you go to a doctor or hospital that is a part of your insurance company’s preferred network of healthcare providers.
If you end up visiting a doctor or a clinic that falls outside the preferred network category, you’ll have to end up paying a large sum of money.
- Research service costs
Since more and more people are confused regarding which kind of healthcare benefits to choose, many health infomediaries or organizations are cropping up to make others aware of these issues.
These organizations advise their consumers regarding service costs and treatment, thereby cutting down on large costs.
You can also find the approximate costs of a particular operation or medical service in many locations, individual hospitals and clinics, and even the government. In order to become more informed, do a little bit of research beforehand.
- Seek out a local advocate
Many times, patients suffering from a particular disease, such as mesothelioma, can contact their advocate and seek legal justice. There are many asbestos compensation & claims lawyers who will help you to choose a local healthcare option.
In case there is any dispute, they will also help you to resolve these issues with either your healthcare insurance company or the hospital and doctor associated.
- Ask about other options
Make sure to ask your physician if all the medical procedures and tests are absolutely necessary or not. It might be slightly awkward to ask this question, but even if there’s a slight chance that one or two tests can be eliminated from your reports, it will save you some money.
You should especially ask this if you need to meet a high out-of-pocket deductible.
- Pay in cash
It might sound surprising but doctors’ offices are often cash-poor because most patients prefer to pay through other modes of payment. There are many clinics where discounts are offered to patients who offer to pay in cash, so don’t be afraid to take up this opportunity.
This is mostly done to avoid the hassle of filing insurance claims or paying transaction fees for credit cards or bank transfers. Therefore, if you have enough cash, pay through that instead of cards.
- Use generic prescriptions
The FDA recently eased restrictions regarding pharmaceutical companies being able to advertise directly to consumers and since then, most people have been plagued with advertisements and campaigns to try out high-end drugs.
More often than not, generic drugs work just like high-brand drugs and even cost a lot less money. So wherever it’s possible, try to take generic drugs because the ingredients will almost always be the same.
- Order drugs by mail or from retailers
If you order medicines directly from the warehouses, you’ll see that they cost much less than the prices offered at drugstores. You can take advantage of this even if you’re not a club member in certain companies. Many large retail stores also give discounts if you buy medicines in bulk.
For example, you might get $10 dollars off if you purchase a month’s supply of a certain tablet. You can even go to mail-order pharmacy to get large-sized prescription packages.
Over to you…
These are some ways in which consumers have reduced their medical bills and received discounts. For any further information, you can always ask your healthcare provider or run a search on Google to see other available options.
Even though healthcare can be costly, it doesn’t have to burn a hole in your pocket because everyone deserves the right to basic treatment and medicine, no matter how rich or poor they are.
