Healthcare is essential. You need to be healthy to maintain a good quality of life. So why is healthcare so expensive? That’s a question a lot of people have on their minds. Well, don’t worry, here I have 10 ways for you to save money on healthcare costs.
Look at Your Current Plan
Does your current plan suit your needs? It is good to look at what you have and decide whether or not it is working for you. If your copays, coinsurance, and deductibles are high, then your plan might not be giving you what you need. You should also look and see if your prescription prices are low because if not, something has got to change.
Try To Save on Prescriptions
There are a couple of things you can do to save on your prescriptions. You can get a pharmacy savings card or app and show them when you go to the pharmacy. This will help you get a discount on your medicines. Also, if you can get generic prescriptions, do so. That will save you money! Sometimes mail-order prescriptions are cheaper and will give you your medicines in bulk.
Shop Around
You don’t always have to take the first price you get when it comes to healthcare. You can look around for the best price when it comes to hospitals, certain procedures, and medicines. Some places will cost less than others and it is important to know what prices you will be looking at for different procedures.
Make Sure Your Healthcare Expenses Are Necessary
Do you really need that test? Is that prescription really helping you or just hurting your wallet? If you have some financial challenges, it is important to take note of those when going in for treatment. Any treatments that aren’t totally necessary shouldn’t be done. You have control over what you pay for so pay attention!
Negotiate Prices
This might seem a little silly, because how can you negotiate prices when it comes to healthcare? Well, a lot of the time hospital bills are negotiable and they will give you options with your payments. You need to call the billing department to check and see what is available for you. They can also give you information about setting up an interest-free payment plan.
Use Free Resources
Free vaccines and free preventative services are all free resources you can use today. Some insurance plans don’t always use free services, but it doesn’t hurt to check and see if yours does. Get what you can for free – your wallet will thank you and so will your body!
Get an HSA or FSA
An HSA (health savings account) or an FSA (flexible spending account) are both good options if you want to save money on health insurance. Both of these can help with out-of-pocket costs and they also allow you to contribute to a portion of your pre-tax income. All of this can be used on co-pays, coinsurance and even prescriptions.
Get the Right Care
When you are sick, it is important to get the right medical care. Could your illness be taken care of by a visit to the doctor or do you need to go to the hospital? These two are very different and have very different costs. Going to the hospital is going to be more expensive. If you can, utilize telehealth! It usually costs less and you still get the same results.
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Review Your Bills
No one likes receiving a huge bill in the mail. Sometimes these bills cost thousands of dollars and seem incorrect. Always make sure your bills are itemized so you can see exactly what you are being charged for. If something seems wrong, call the doctor or medical facility that sent you the bill and appeal.
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Practice Preventative Care
It is a good idea to practice preventative care so you don’t have to go to the doctor or the hospital as much. If you eat healthy, drink water, and exercise, you should be on the right path to being your healthiest self. It is also good to practice stress management, so you will be clear-minded and able to focus on being healthy.
Read More: 20 Things People Pay for Even Though They’re Free
