SAVE ON HEALTH CARE
November 14th 2011 18:45
For those of us in the United States, saving on health care
services has become a spotlight issue these days. As mere
pion consumers, how can we save $$$ when we visit health
care providers?
Here are a few tips which may help you in your quest:
NO PRICES LISTED
--You know, when you wish to purchase something in the
open market place either in person or online prices are
for the most part clearly defined. Not so in the health care
market.
How do you play the game. MAKE PHONE CALLS before
you visit a doctor or dentist's office or visit a hospital.
Ask how much such and such visit will cost? What about
that test, how much is it going to cost me?
If you have medical insurance, call them as well before you
go. Eliminate financial surprises on the front end of the
equation. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!
SHOP AROUND
--Don't be shy about calling around to medical providers'
offices to inquiry about prices for procedures and tests.
BE ARMED WITH INFO (Remember, no prices are posted
like in the legitimate marketplace.) YOU MUST ASK!
QUALITY AND TRUST FACTORS
--There are high quality medical providers and the poor ones.
Doctors you like and trust and would like to stay with,
try to negotiate their prices down before you visit--that is,
if you're having trouble paying for their services.
GENERIC DRUGS ROCK
--When you are prescribed a drug, ALWAYS ASK IF THEIR
IS A GENERIC VERSION AVAILABLE at a fraction of the cost.
Never ask for a "name brand" drug you saw on television
commercial. Who pays for those ads? YOU DO, if you buy
their product.
Our humble opinion: prescription drug advertising should be outlawed,
similar to the way broadcast tobacco ads were driven from U.S,A.
frequencies decades ago.
Hope these basic tips help you save a few bucks during your
next, "office visit." We'll be bringing you more in the future.
services has become a spotlight issue these days. As mere
pion consumers, how can we save $$$ when we visit health
care providers?
Here are a few tips which may help you in your quest:
NO PRICES LISTED
--You know, when you wish to purchase something in the
open market place either in person or online prices are
for the most part clearly defined. Not so in the health care
market.
How do you play the game. MAKE PHONE CALLS before
you visit a doctor or dentist's office or visit a hospital.
that test, how much is it going to cost me?
If you have medical insurance, call them as well before you
go. Eliminate financial surprises on the front end of the
equation. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!
SHOP AROUND
--Don't be shy about calling around to medical providers'
offices to inquiry about prices for procedures and tests.
BE ARMED WITH INFO (Remember, no prices are posted
like in the legitimate marketplace.) YOU MUST ASK!
QUALITY AND TRUST FACTORS
--There are high quality medical providers and the poor ones.
Doctors you like and trust and would like to stay with,
try to negotiate their prices down before you visit--that is,
if you're having trouble paying for their services.
GENERIC DRUGS ROCK
--When you are prescribed a drug, ALWAYS ASK IF THEIR
IS A GENERIC VERSION AVAILABLE at a fraction of the cost.
Never ask for a "name brand" drug you saw on television
commercial. Who pays for those ads? YOU DO, if you buy
Our humble opinion: prescription drug advertising should be outlawed,
similar to the way broadcast tobacco ads were driven from U.S,A.
frequencies decades ago.
Hope these basic tips help you save a few bucks during your
next, "office visit." We'll be bringing you more in the future.
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