|
Home / Finance / Insurance
The Top 10 Ways to Lower Your Health Care Costs
By:Joan Yankowitz
If your medical expenses are increasing, you’ll want to know how to lower them and keep them low. Here are 10 easy ways to reduce your health care costs.
1. Maintain a health lifestyle — it sounds basic, but it really works. If you take advantage of available wellness programs, maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, stop smoking, and have regular checkups, you can greatly reduce your medical expenses.
2. Take advantage of free health screenings —if your health insurance doesn't provide adequate health screenings, or if you don't have any health insurance coverage at all, look into free health screenings. Local clinics and hospitals often provide a variety of screenings, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and mammograms.
3. Compare your health insurance options — you’ll need to get your own coverage if you don’t have employer-sponsored health insurance. Shop around. Because premiums vary widely, you'll probably save money if you get quotes from several companies. Evaluate each plan's coverage and features, taking into account exclusions, limitations, and the freedom to choose health-care providers. Also find out how much you'll end up paying out of pocket in the form of co-payments, coinsurance, and deductibles, because even relatively small amounts of money can really add up if you make frequent visits to your doctor.
4. Reduce the costs of your prescription drugs — if you take prescription drugs regularly, you know they can eat up a large portion of your budget. To save money, order your prescriptions though the mail by using a traditional or online pharmacy. If you belong to a prescription drug plan through your health insurance plan, you may be able to get a three-month supply of your prescription drug through the mail for the same price you would pay for a one-month supply at your neighborhood pharmacy. You can also ask your pharmacist or doctor to recommend a less-expensive generic drug whenever possible.
5. Always check your medical bills for errors — taking a few minutes to go over the charges can save you money in the long run. Check to make sure that the bill accurately reflects the procedures you have undergone and takes into account any applicable insurance coverage you may have. Some errors, such as wrong computer codes, are common, and you may be billed for health care you never received. Contact the appropriate billing office if you think you've found a mistake. If you've received an explanation of benefits from your insurance company that you believe is wrong, ask the company to review your claim.
6. Keep track of your medical expenses — at tax time, you may be able to deduct certain medical expenses if you itemize, and your total medical expenses exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income. Allowable medical expenses include everything from health-care services to medical aids such as eyeglasses and hearing aids. Keep track of these expenses during the year.
7. Consider joining your spouse's health plan — review both your coverage and your spouse's coverage to see if it makes sense for either of you to join the other's plan. Keep in mind that most plans allow you to add a spouse to your plan within a certain time period after you get married. Otherwise, you may have to wait for the plans' annual open enrollment period.
8. Negotiate a discount with your healthcare provider —you can sometimes negotiate to lower your medical bills. While it may not always work, it doesn't hurt to ask your doctor, hospital, or pharmacy if they're willing to come down in price. Before you begin to negotiate, do a little research to find out what other healthcare providers in your area are charging. You can also ask your healthcare provider if they'll lower their price if you pay in cash up front.
9. Contribute to a flexible spending account — check to see if your employer offers a flexible spending plan that will allow you to put pretax dollars in an account. If so, consider participating. You will be reimbursed for your out-of-pocket medical expenses, such as prescription drugs, dental care, and co-payments. Because flexible spending contributions are taken out of your pay before federal and state taxes are calculated, you get to use pretax dollars to pay your medical bills.
10. Understand your health insurance benefits — your health insurance may cover more than you think. Many insurance companies now provide services that are designed to help you stay safe and healthy. For example, you may receive discounts on vitamins, alternative medicines, health club memberships, or bike helmets. You may also be surprised at the range of coverage your health plan offers. For instance, it may cover dental care for young children, chiropractic care, and acupuncture. Read your plan membership materials to find out what products and services are available through your health plan before you pay for them on your own.
Staying healthy is the best way to reduce your health care costs. Getting a quality health insurance policy and understanding its benefits will also go a long way to keeping your medical bills as low as possible.
Digg
del.icio.us
Blink
Stumble
Spurl
Reddit
Netscape
Furl
Article keywords: health insurance, insurance, health care
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com
Joan Yankowitz publishes the popular consumer and business “Kwik eGuides” at www.kwikeguides.com. Instantly download “How Choose Health Insurance” Kwik eGuide at www.kwikeguides.com/health_insurance.htm
|
|
| Top Insurance Articles |
- 1). Growing Old By : Joseph Kenny
There are a couple of things in life that we know, at some stage, we will be worried about. Growing old certainly seems to be one of them. More and more, our culture is becoming obsessed by the cult of youth. Not only are film stars and musicians young and beautiful, but increasingly, politicians and newsreaders are getting younger also. Add to this.
|
- 2). Health Care Eligibility For Unauthorized Migrants - Moral & Practical Implications By : Erin Shaughnessy
Various organizations and government officials have cited estimates for the number of illegal immigrants at between eight and twenty million. With rising health care costs as a major issue for most Americans, this article considers the moral and practical issues of providing medical care for uninsured immigrants.
According to a research report entitled “The Size and Characteristics of the Unauthorized Migrant Population in the U.
|
- 3). Determining How Much Life Insurance You Need By : Stephen L. Nelson, CPA
When considering life insurance, you’re planning and preparing for an event most of us would rather not think about. But life insurance represents a critical step in managing your personal finances and ensuring your family’s well-being.
The Two Approaches to Life Insurance
You can use one of two approaches to estimate how much life insurance you should buy: the needs approach or the replacement-income approach.
|
- 4). Can Car Insurance Be Affected By Your Bad Credit History? By : Joseph Kenny
If you have bad credit you can be denied car insurance! The protections afforded to the consumer since the Depression of 1929 no longer exist. The Financial Laws passed through Congress in 1992 allowed banks, insurance companies, investment firms to handle banking, insurance and investment operations. Laws passed after 1929 had prevented banks from.
|
- 5). How to Get Cheap Auto Insurance on the Internet By : Heather Colman
If you have a connection to the Internet and a computer you can easily find cheap auto insurance. With more and more businesses turning to the Internet to service their customers and increase sales, it's no wonder you see an insurance man on every virtual corner.
Not only are most of the major companies online today they now provide insurance quotes and the ability to buy your policy right from their websites.
|
- 6). Gap Insurance: A Financial Safety Belt By : Peter Garant
Why is gap insurance considered as a financial safety belt? Simply put, it keeps you from being financially ruined when disaster hits your car. For example you are in this situation, you bought a late-model car three months ago using a car loan with a regular car insurance. The car costs $30,000 and you have already made three payments of $900 each month.
|
- 7). Eight Rules for Saving Money When You Buy Insurance By : Stephen L. Nelson, CPA
By following the eight rules explained here, you can save money, and just as important, you can save yourself from making serious mistakes when you shop for and acquire insurance policies.
Rule 1: Buy Insurance Only for Financial Risks You Can’t Afford to Bear on Your Own
The purpose of insurance is to cover catastrophes that would devastate you or your family.
|
- 8). Critical Illness Insurance The Non-Disclosure Problem By : Michael Challiner
If you're in the unfortunate position of having to make a claim on your critical illness insurance policy, the last thing you want is insensitive hassle or apparent non co-operation from your insurer. But according to numerous newspaper articles, that's precisely what's happening. The core problem is that before they'll pay out, the insurer will always want to make exhaustive enquiries about your past health record.
|
- 9). Pssst - Want To Know A Secret That Banks & Car Insurance Companies Don't Share With You By : Tom OLeary
Every single driver in the U.S. is required to have Car Insurance. And most of drive around confident that we have adequate coverage to protect us should we ever be involved in an accident.
Yet, almost 97% of all drivers are not adequately protected...and don't even know it. Here's what I mean.
Let's say you're involved in an accident and it's serious enough that the car is considered a "total loss" by your Insurance Company.
|
- 10). Life Insurance & Why It’s Important For Your Family By : Daphne Succes
It’s sad to think about, but life insurance is something that everyone needs to consider. In the event of an unfortunate loss, an individual often wants to have the peace of mind in knowing that his/her family will be financially secure.
Life insurance can be obtained in a number of ways, including from a national insurance provider, various credit cards and/or certain employers.
|
| New Insurance Articles |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 6). When To Consider Selling Your Life Insurance Policy? By : Paul Sherman
A Life Insurance Policy is a personal property, like a house, car, antiques, old painting or stocks and bonds. You can sell your life insurance policy like you sell your other personal property items. Life insurance may now be viewed as a traditional asset that can be purchased or sold. Sale of Life insurance policy is called as Life insurance settlement, Life settlement or Senior settlement.
|
- 7). Life Insurance, A Great Investment Opportunity By : Mika Hamilton
Insurance is often the safe and most risk free approach to investment. Most people think they are sufficiently insured when they are not. Hardworking people spend a lifetime earning what they have. Our personal wealth is a coupling of family and our income early potential.
|
- 8). All About Home Insurance Leads By : Oliver Turner
After loads of man-made and natural calamities in USA the Home Insurance market has come much into prominence. And at present the competition is at its peak.
Homeowners Insurance is a guarantee, which pays the cost of your house if it gets damaged in some natural or manmade disasters like fire, floods, storms etc.
To get a good home insurance quote we often turn to agents.
|
- 9). Health insurance plans By : Janani
Health Insurance:
Health insurance, which is coverage for individuals to protect them against medical costs and give them a surity to a secured life in this unsecured world with day to day accidents, enormous infections and diseases which may be highly fatal such as Tuberculosis and other viral infections, Genetic disorders that requires relatively high costs for treatment and diagnosis.
|
- 10). Life Insurance Online By : Robert Lawrence
There are many types of life insurance policies. Before you venture out for one, learn about them and see which one is applicable to your needs best. The following are the most common ones:
1. Term life insurance: This type of insurance is the most basic of all. Its one and only function is to cover your life with an amount of cash which on even of your death will be given to your nominee.
|
|
|
