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For many of us, despite having a medical insurance, we end up spending hundreds of dollars for out-of-pocket medical expenses. Although we take care selecting the right plan with the right coverage for the family in order to save hundreds, if not thousands, there still are many ways to cut costs as well.

1 Ask For A Deal: Call your insurer’s customer care service number and ask about the rates it pays physicians in your area, which are typically lower than the sticker price set by providers. Then ask your doctor if he’ll accept a similar amount. The rate that your doctor charges isn’t set in stone

2 Get the Facts: The more you know about the real cost of your care, the better you’ll be able to negotiate discounts. Costs for 30 common hospital procedures can be found at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HealthCareConInit/02_Hospital.asp#TopOfPage, the website of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or you can pay $7.95 for medical cost reports from HealthGrades, a ratings company. Large insurers like Aetna, Cigna and United Healthcare have also begun to post rates online for members, though not for every area of the country.

3 Pay Up Front, In Cash: If you shoulder your own medical bill, paying in advance of treatment can get you a 10% discount.

4 Look For Mistakes: As many as eight out of 10 hospital bills contain errors, increasing the tab by 25% on average. Keep a log of every test and medication you get, and check it against your medical file, which you can order from the hospital’s billing office. If you spot an error, send a certified letter requesting a corrected bill, and a copy of all documentation to your insurer.

5 Check Up Before You Check In: Radiologists, anesthesiologists and other specialists don’t always accept the same insurance as the doctor who admits you to the hospital. Always confirm whether all those who are treating you are covered by your insurance.

6 Track Your Spending: Use programs such as Quicken’s Medical Expense Manager to track your spending and alert you to potential savings such as overlooked tax deductions and possible billing errors..

7 Follow Doctors Orders: Simply doing what you’re told can save you your out-of-pocket share of the average $8,200 cost of a hospital stay.

8 Equip Yourself : Hospitals charge a significant markup on equipment like crutches or braces, so you’re almost always better off buying them on your own.

9 Visit A Retail Health Clinic: Visit a walk-in clinic found at retail stores like CVS and Wal-Mart for minor illness such as Got an earache or upset stomach to save up to 25%.

10 Choose Wisely: Read the fine print on your plan to find out your insurer’s requirements for referrals and pre-certification. If you have to use out-of-network providers, call your insurer’s pre-certification department to explain your situation and ask for coverage at in-network rates.

11 Don’t be denied: Don’t just let it go if your insurer denied your claim. Fight back by calling customer service or putting your appeal in writing. Document everything; including the times of calls and the names of the reps you spoke with.

12. Check yourself out: Before signing up for a new insurance policy, go to MIB.com to see whether this insurance industry antifraud group has a file on you. Request a free copy to make sure the information provided about your health status is right. If you have a high-deductible health plan (at least $1,050 for individuals; $2,100 for families), you are eligible to fund a health savings account (HSA).

13 Stay insured: Leaving your job next year? Switch to the lowest-cost plan during this year’s open enrollment. Then, after you quit, federal rules (known as COBRA) will let you stay on your employer’s health plan for up to 18 months, although you’ll usually have to pay the full cost.

14 Be flexible: Add up your co-pays, deductibles and other out-of-pocket medical expenses from last year to figure out how much to put into your flexible spending account. For every $1,000 you put in, you’ll slash about $300 in taxes.

15 Grab generics: Whenever you can, opt for generic drugs, which on average cost less than a third as much as their brand-name counterparts. Call your drug insurer and ask if you can order your prescriptions directly from the plan, which can save you 15% to 35% on your monthly co-payments at the pharmacy. Ask your doctor if you can safely split a higher-dosage pill in half as high-dose pills are generally priced the same as their low-dose counterparts. If there is no generic version of a brand name, ask your doc for a cheaper alternative.

16 Ask for samples: Your doctor may be able to supply you with several weeks’ worth of medication at no charge.

Also look for deals online, Walmart and CVS have a lot of deals at times too.

Lastly, take care of your health by:

*
Ensuring less stress
*
Stubbing that butt
*
Putting that cork on
*
Getting more active
*
Eating at home or carrying that home made lunch
*
Drink from the tap
*
Staying hygienic
*
Child and adult proofing your home
*
Questioning your tests and not hesitating in going for a second opinion

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For many of us, despite having a medical insurance, we end up spending hundreds of dollars for out-of-pocket medical expenses. Although we take care selecting the right plan with the right coverage for the family in order to save hundreds, if not thousands, there still are many ways to cut costs as well.

1 Ask For A Deal: Call your insurer’s customer care service number and ask about the rates it pays physicians in your area, which are typically lower than the sticker price set by providers. Then ask your doctor if he’ll accept a similar amount. The rate that your doctor charges isn’t set in stone

2 Get the Facts: The more you know about the real cost of your care, the better you’ll be able to negotiate discounts. Costs for 30 common hospital procedures can be found at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HealthCareConInit/02_Hospital.asp#TopOfPage, the website of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or you can pay $7.95 for medical cost reports from HealthGrades, a ratings company. Large insurers like Aetna, Cigna and United Healthcare have also begun to post rates online for members, though not for every area of the country.

3 Pay Up Front, In Cash: If you shoulder your own medical bill, paying in advance of treatment can get you a 10% discount.

4 Look For Mistakes: As many as eight out of 10 hospital bills contain errors, increasing the tab by 25% on average. Keep a log of every test and medication you get, and check it against your medical file, which you can order from the hospital’s billing office. If you spot an error, send a certified letter requesting a corrected bill, and a copy of all documentation to your insurer.

5 Check Up Before You Check In: Radiologists, anesthesiologists and other specialists don’t always accept the same insurance as the doctor who admits you to the hospital. Always confirm whether all those who are treating you are covered by your insurance.

6 Track Your Spending: Use programs such as Quicken’s Medical Expense Manager to track your spending and alert you to potential savings such as overlooked tax deductions and possible billing errors..

7 Follow Doctors Orders: Simply doing what you’re told can save you your out-of-pocket share of the average $8,200 cost of a hospital stay.

8 Equip Yourself : Hospitals charge a significant markup on equipment like crutches or braces, so you’re almost always better off buying them on your own.

9 Visit A Retail Health Clinic: Visit a walk-in clinic found at retail stores like CVS and Wal-Mart for minor illness such as Got an earache or upset stomach to save up to 25%.

10 Choose Wisely: Read the fine print on your plan to find out your insurer’s requirements for referrals and pre-certification. If you have to use out-of-network providers, call your insurer’s pre-certification department to explain your situation and ask for coverage at in-network rates.

11 Don’t be denied: Don’t just let it go if your insurer denied your claim. Fight back by calling customer service or putting your appeal in writing. Document everything; including the times of calls and the names of the reps you spoke with.

12. Check yourself out: Before signing up for a new insurance policy, go to MIB.com to see whether this insurance industry antifraud group has a file on you. Request a free copy to make sure the information provided about your health status is right. If you have a high-deductible health plan (at least $1,050 for individuals; $2,100 for families), you are eligible to fund a health savings account (HSA).

13 Stay insured: Leaving your job next year? Switch to the lowest-cost plan during this year’s open enrollment. Then, after you quit, federal rules (known as COBRA) will let you stay on your employer’s health plan for up to 18 months, although you’ll usually have to pay the full cost.

14 Be flexible: Add up your co-pays, deductibles and other out-of-pocket medical expenses from last year to figure out how much to put into your flexible spending account. For every $1,000 you put in, you’ll slash about $300 in taxes.

15 Grab generics: Whenever you can, opt for generic drugs, which on average cost less than a third as much as their brand-name counterparts. Call your drug insurer and ask if you can order your prescriptions directly from the plan, which can save you 15% to 35% on your monthly co-payments at the pharmacy. Ask your doctor if you can safely split a higher-dosage pill in half as high-dose pills are generally priced the same as their low-dose counterparts. If there is no generic version of a brand name, ask your doc for a cheaper alternative.

16 Ask for samples: Your doctor may be able to supply you with several weeks’ worth of medication at no charge.

Also look for deals online, Walmart and CVS have a lot of deals at times too.

Lastly,

*
Take care of your health by:
*
Ensure less stress.
*
Stubbing that butt
*
Putting that cork on
*
Get Moving
*
Eating at home or carrying that home made lunch
*
Drink from the tap
*
Stay hygienic
*
Child and adult proof your home
*
Question your tests and don’t hesitate in going for a second opinion….

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