The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) found in a 2011 survey that over half of all Americans did not feel confident that they could reduce the cost of health care by shopping around. Many would never think of negotiating with doctors or asking whether an expensive test is truly necessary. For example, according to AHRQ, the average cost of a visit to the doctor is about $199; a visit to the emergency room costs about $922, but 25% of those visits are unnecessary.
Ask questions of your provider
When reviewing options, you can ask the healthcare provider five questions developed by Consumer Reports:
Selecting the right plan
With health insurance premiums on the rise, there's a good reason many Americans are concerned about the cost of their coverage. So when you're selecting a plan, be sure to ask the following questions so you can have a better idea of how much your out of pocket expenses will actually be:
Understanding these options when reviewing health insurance plans and taking into consideration your own health needs can save you money in the long run. If you are not currently dealing with a health issue, it can be difficult to anticipate these costs, but remember that emergencies don't always come with a warning, so you don't want to get caught with inadequate coverage when you need it.
Out-of-pocket medical bills cost the average consumer almost $3,000 annually. This results from meeting higher deductibles plus the shared costs with insurance companies covering 70 - 80% of medical bills, while the other 20-30% is picked up by the consumer. It is really important to study your plan options and read the fine print to save money down the line. Consider checking into the following types of services:
Fee for Service plans offer basic coverage, such as doctor visits, surgeries and hospitalization. When the maximum coverage is reached, major medical coverage takes over.
Comprehensive major medical covers basic and major medical expenses. Many employers offer this type of coverage.
Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) charge a monthly fee, or premium, but provide coverage within their network of doctors with little to no deductible. Co-payments differ, so it is important to consider how many visits you make to doctors and specialists per year, as well as your monthly budget. If you choose to be treated outside of the network, additional charges may apply.
A drawback of an HMO could be giving up your doctor, if he or she is not in network, along with easy access to specialists and hospitals outside the plan. If your doctor or specialist is not part of an HMO network, a PPO plan might be best for you. Consumer Reports discusses the differences between the two types of plans as well as point of service and high deductible plans.
Healthcare costs have escalated to the point that many people choose to go without preventative treatments in order to avoid an unnecessary co-payment when feeling well. The unfortunate result of this is that high medical expenses that could have been headed off if preventative care had been taken, are incurred.
Join the American Institute for Preventive Medicine in observing Wise Health Care Consumer Month. Communicate with your care providers and make educated decisions about your health, including the use of nutritional supplements such as IMMUNE+++ to boost your immune system and enhance your body’s natural abilities to fight off germs and harmful bacteria. And don’t forget to tell your physician that “I take Laminine for optimum health—check it out in the 2015 PDR.”