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Lipitor, be gone!

The Insurance Mom is thrilled to tell you how to save even more money on your prescriptions if you have those pesky cholesterol problems and have been taking — or are about to start taking — Lipitor. The 17-year patent has finally expired… wahoo!  Now the drug is available in generic form.    Atorvastatin is the… Continue reading Lipitor, be gone!

What does it cost to…

… die?   It’s expensive!  Cedars Sinai Medical Center billed Medicare $132,000 (yes!) for ONE week of care.    I don’t want this to be morose but I do want to use my father’s death a couple of months ago as a life lesson about how to be pro-active in your own medical care. The doctors wanted to… Continue reading What does it cost to…

ZocDoc — sort of like OpenTable, but not

OpenTable for MDs This recently came across The Insurance Mom’s e-desk and, although I can’t give it a thumbs up or down, it does look intriguing!   Let me know how it works for you. Waiting days for a doctor’s appointment can make you extremely uneasy — not only do you not know what that lump… Continue reading ZocDoc — sort of like OpenTable, but not

It Never Hurts To Ask!

The Insurance Mom says that everything is negotiable… including the cost of your medical care.   You wouldn’t think twice about negotiating with an car dealer or a CraigsList vendor, right?  Well, you can — and should — do the same with your doctors, labs and hospitals.  Saving money is a good thing!  The Insurance Mom… Continue reading It Never Hurts To Ask!

3 Ways to Stop Medical Mistakes

It could be a matter of life and death.   If you are hospitalized here are 3 ways to make sure mistakes don’t happen: 1.   BE THERE! Stay with the patient at all times.  NEVER leave a hospitalized friend or family member alone.  Even if you have to hire a private duty nurse for night times.… Continue reading 3 Ways to Stop Medical Mistakes

More Bang For Your Buck – ER vs. Urgent Care

Getting the right care you need is very important.    But making smarter choices can help stretch your health care dollars further and save you a significant amount of your out-of-pocket expenses.    There are a lot of myths out there about where to get the best care. When you need health care right away, the emergency… Continue reading More Bang For Your Buck – ER vs. Urgent Care