What health care costs can you avoid or reduce?

[King bell]

Health care costs can be an enormous burden for many people in the U.S., with some predicting that health care will be the number one reason for bankruptcy filings within the next few years. Despite this, many people still lack any form of hospital coverage or have woefully inadequate insurance coverage; research has shown that over 50% of Americans don't have enough money saved to cover even 10% of their annual income should they suffer a major health event. You can save money on health care and avoid some costs by:



For many people in the United States who cannot afford health insurance, hospital emergency rooms are the only place to go when they are sick or injured. ERs are required by law to treat all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. Therefore, they charge extremely high prices to cover their costs, or must rely upon over-charging private insurers (who pass the cost on to patients) for services. In most cases though a trip to an emergency room can be avoided through planning and common sense.

If you have a severely injured or ill loved one, and it is not really an emergency, call your regular doctor or go to the urgent care clinic. Urgent cares have become very prevalent in recent years. They are essentially doctor's offices with extended hours and without appointments. The quality of care is often just as good as at a regular doctor's office, but without the high costs associated with ERs.
This can be especially helpful if you are dealing with chronic illness such as diabetes or asthma.

 

[Yusra3]

Health care costs can be an enormous burden for many people in the U.S., with some predicting that health care will be the number one reason for bankruptcy filings within the next few years. Despite this, many people still lack any form of hospital coverage or have woefully inadequate insurance coverage; research has shown that over 50% of Americans don't have enough money saved to cover even 10% of their annual income should they suffer a major health event. You can save money on health care and avoid some costs by:



For many people in the United States who cannot afford health insurance, hospital emergency rooms are the only place to go when they are sick or injured. ERs are required by law to treat all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. Therefore, they charge extremely high prices to cover their costs, or must rely upon over-charging private insurers (who pass the cost on to patients) for services. In most cases though a trip to an emergency room can be avoided through planning and common sense.

If you have a severely injured or ill loved one, and it is not really an emergency, call your regular doctor or go to the urgent care clinic. Urgent cares have become very prevalent in recent years. They are essentially doctor's offices with extended hours and without appointments. The quality of care is often just as good as at a regular doctor's office, but without the high costs associated with ERs.
This can be especially helpful if you are dealing with chronic illness such as diabetes or asthma.

The best way to lower health care costs is by making smart decisions that help you live a healthier lifestyle. For example, if you're overweight, losing weight can help you avoid or reduce high medical costs. If you smoke cigarettes, quitting smoking can save you money on things like smoking-related cancer treatments.

If you have a chronic condition that requires expensive medications, it might be better to take a less expensive medication than an expensive one. You can also ask your doctor about generic drugs or other ways of reducing the cost of your prescriptions.