Drugs - can you afford your prescription?

It seems that every physician wants you to leave with a prescription. Consumers have demanded it for years even though drugs aren't always necessary. For instance, most colds are caused by viruses and antibiotics are ineffective, however, consumers think a drug will lesson their symptoms and physicians will prescribe them as a prophylactic. Also, consumers read more and may ask for medications that have been advertised in magazines, TV, etc. Brand name and high tech meds are very expensive and physicians don't always know the true cost to the patient. Those that have "cadillac" health insurance plans may only pay a fraction of the cost for brand name drugs, but those with "high deductible" health plans will most likely pay retail. Before filling the prescription from your doctor, ask if there is a generic or if another less expensive medication will treat your illness. Remember, many physicians have no idea the cost of drugs, so you may have to call the pharmacy before you leave your doctor's office.

Say "No" to Root Canal

I nursed a cracked filing for a long time. The dentist said is was okay, but I required a crown soon. The waiting period on my dental insurance was another 6 months away, so I waited. When the time came, I had the tooth ground, a temporary cap installed and made the appointment to get the permanent crown put in within 4 weeks. The tooth never felt right with the temporary. The dentist said to wait. It would get better, than worse, than better, but never felt right. After scouring the internet, it appeared I would need a root canal. I searched some more and found a sight that recommended Listerine followed by Act! and so far, I have had immense improvement. I think I avoided a root canal and looking forward to getting that permanent cap soon.

Self Pay Mammograms

By the age of 40, physicians and the National Cancer Institute recommend that women get a mammogram every 1 -2 years. When I called the imaging center in my neighborhood, the office could not tell me how much it cost for a "self pay" customer. After talking to several different people in biling, they gave me a price of $160. My insurance company's negotiated rate was $168.50 with many caveats: is it performed in a Dr's office vs. outpatient center. As a result, I'll opt for self pay, but only after I call a few more centers to see if I can negotiate a better price.

Orthodontia - how to save on braces

If you have dental insurance, it usually does not cover orthodontia, or if it does, insurance only pays a small percentage of the entire bill. Discounts can be found at local dental schools. Many large universities have a dental school and the dental students' (interns) post graduate work includes working in the university dental clinic. Besides getting almost 30% discount on a full set of braces, the clinics are typically using state-of-the-art procedures and the interns are under direct supervision of a seasoned orthodontist. Next blog update, I will need to investigate other dental procedures and available discounts.

School Sports Physicals - Booster's Club

Most states require an annual sports physical for children playing sports for their school or attending a summer camp. Every year I would make an appointment at the pediatrician's office for all the kids: call for schedule availability, wait in the office, get the examination, fill out the required paperwork, then pay the $180 bill per child. I did this drill every year until our school Athletic Boosters Club offered school physicals at a discount. The boosters club contacted a local family practitioner to come to the school for two hours to conduct sports physicals for any of the students. Thankfully, he brought 9 resident physicians to help with the physicals and eliminate long wait lines. Cost? Parents paid $25 per student. Not only did the parents get a great deal, the boosters made money and the school collected the school physical forms that evening to update their files. Recommend this idea to your schools Athletic Booster club to save money.

Prevention - the Best Health Savings

Many people, especially those without insurance, will wait until they are sick before they see a physician. Certainly, it is expensive to schedule an annual appointment: the physicians visit, the laboratory tests, the follow-up visit and perhaps more tests. One must have time and money and most individuals will opt not to go until they feel sick. Unfortunately, there are some secret killers such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, to name a few. Most of these illnesses can be diagnose by yourself; no doctors appointment needed. Almost all the large grocery stores, discount clubs and pharmacies have a blood pressure cuff. Heart disease indicators, glucose, PSA, thyroid and others issues can be measured without a doctors appointment by ordering your own blood tests online. The tests are inexpensive and then you can see a physician if you have any indicators out of range. Money well spent. See my other posting to get the online lab site and you can save $$ and take control of your own preventative health care: www.HealthOneLabs.com

High Deductible Health Care Premiums

Inadvertantly, I was calling to get some marketing information and I ended up talking to a salesperson about health care premiums. He was a broker that handled many insurance companies and suggested I let him give me a quote for a new company in the health insurance industry. I am currently paying $320/month for a family of five which includes a dental rider. Note that this is a high deductible plan, so must of my health care costs are out-of-pocket and I primarily have this for catastrophic health events. I do have a Health Savings Account (HSA), so I can pay for all qualified health care expenses through my tax-free account that I fund annually. I will share any monthly savings once I get a new quote from the new insurance company.