At most companies,
both the employer and employees contribute to the cost of their health
plan. These 10 tips will help you get more for your health care dollar.
Remember, your physician should be your primary source of information for any decisions
you make regarding medical services.
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Stay healthy.
A healthy lifestyle along with regular preventive care can help
keep your health care costs low. Exercise and good nutrition contribute to a healthier
life.
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Use home
health care remedies whenever possible. You can reduce the cost
of health care for yourself and others by solving health problems
at home when appropriate.
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Choose a
family doctor. Visiting your regular doctor or primary care
physician (PCP) is more cost-effective than seeking care from several
different specialists.
- Avoid unnecessary
medical tests. In certain situations the cost and risk of medical
tests can, outweigh the benefits. Sometimes tests are given simply
as a standard hospital procedure. You do not have to take any test.
Before consenting to a test, ask:
- What is this
test is for?
- How will
it help me get better?
- How much
will the test cost?
- Could it
be done for less somewhere else?
- Is there
a less costly test that could provide the same information?
-
Control your
drug costs. It is important to ask questions and learn the benefits
and risks of your prescribed medications. Don't expect a prescription
for medicine each time you visit the doctor. You can help keep costs
low by finding out how the medication will help you, whether there
is a generic or similar, less expensive version of the drug, and
whether you can try a sample first.
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Be prepared
before you see a specialist. Specialists have in-depth training
and experience in particular areas of medicine and can give you
the care and information you need for a major medical problem. In
general, specialists' care is more expensive.
You can help get the most out of specialty care through good communication
and preparation. Before you see a specialist, understand what your
primary doctor's diagnosis is and what your primary doctor wants
the specialist to do. Ask about your options for treatment, keep
your regular doctor involved and have test results sent to both
you and your primary doctor.
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Use emergency
services only for emergencies. Modern emergency services are
invaluable in trauma or life-threatening situations, but are inefficient
for routine care. Emergency room services can be many times more
expensive than care received at your regular doctor's office.
When deciding whether to go to the emergency room, use your best
judgment. In case of a true emergency, immediately go to the emergency
room. Call ahead to let them know you're coming and notify your
regular doctor if possible. Your family doctor can provide the emergency
room staff with important medical information.
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Consider
alternatives to hospitalization. If you need hospital care,
keep your stay as short as possible. Hospital stays account for
more than a third of your health plan premiums.
Whenever possible, have tests done on an outpatient basis, use home
nursing services and ask about hospice programs for the terminally
ill.
In certain situations, some health plans pay for home equipment
and home nursing visits as an alternative to hospital care. Doctors
are often very supportive of this option because they know most
patients are more comfortable at home. If you are facing a hospital
stay, ask your health carrier whether it can help you get the support
that will allow you to return home sooner.
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If it's safe,
wait. Sometimes physicians are afraid patients will think they're
not doing their best if they don't take action right away. But,
in many situations the old standby "take two aspirin and call me
in the morning" is valid advice.
On the other hand, waiting until a mild condition becomes serious
can be both unpleasant and costly.
Let your doctor know you're willing to wait, if that's appropriate.
He or she may consider it helpful to know you're willing to let
time and nature take their course, but only if it's safe to do so.
- Learn as much
as you can about your medical needs. By conducting your own medical
research, you may discover more options and be better prepared to
decide which course of action is best for you. You can start your
research by asking your doctor for information or calling the hospital's
medical library or using medical resources available on the web.
