You’re a smart shopper. You do your research. You clip coupons. You read Yelp reviews, compare online ratings and costs. So why is it when it comes to your health, you don’t do the same?
The Insurance Mom is here to help you be your own best advocate. In this new world of Affordable-Care-Act-madness here are some handy do-it-yourself tips to get the biggest bang for your health plan buck and save you money in the long run. Just because you have health insurance doesn’t mean you’re automatically getting the best deals.
When you have the ability to plan before diagnostic tests, procedures, and doctor visits:
Check out this nifty website from Health Care Blue Book. It will compare and contrast costs for doctor visits, procedures, hospitals and other facilities, as well as the Fair Price for a medical services from different locations. A friend found that two hospitals near him were charging very different amounts for the EXACT SAME diagnostic tests. One was $1,400, the other was $6,400!!! Very smart shopping! When you can, plan!
https://healthcarebluebook.com/page_Default.aspx
When your prescriptions get too spendy, we have three suggestions:
GoodRx to compares costs of different meds at different pharmacies in your area. Didn’t think there would be a difference, did you? Give it a try and you’ll see costs vary from one pharmacy to another. Make an informed choice about how and where you shop.
There’s a free discount card available with just a simple click! Go to Water Tree Health’s website for great discounts on pharmaceuticals, diabetic supplies, even some pet supplies!
https://www.watertreehealth.com/our-products/
I get a lot of questions on this one. For certain medications, you can shop outside of the country and see a big discount. Pharmacy Checker is a good example of how to compare drug prices around the world. You choose a pharmacy and fax a copy of your prescription. The Insurance Mom has heard that the FDA prefers you don’t know about this option and there are laws that (technically) restrict it. So mind your p’s and q’s before going this route and do your research.
Finally, it’s always worth Googling the name of your prescription to see if coupons or discounts are available. Protect your wallet and get clever with money-saving solutions for your medical expenses!
