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Zero is good when you eat zero carbs or have zero zits. But zero is not so good when you have zero bars on your phone or on January 1st every year. Why? The Insurance Mom is so proud you asked such a good question. Because every January 1st most health insurance deductibles re-set to… ZERO! That’s right. No matter how much of your deductible you met this year, starting 1/1 most likely your deductible starts all over again. It
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 generic name to ask about at the doctor’s office or pharmacy. Today’s health insurance plans usually have a “tiered” drug benefit. Drugs on Tier 1
Getting a prescription from your doctor doesn’t mean you don’t have choices about how to spend your money. Ask your doctor if a generic drug is available and make sure it’s in the same class of drugs as the expensive brand name drug he wants to you to buy. Generics have the same active ingredients, strengths and dose as the more expensive brand name versions. A single manufacturer no longer holds the (17 year!) patent, so there’s more competition to
Need to get lab work done, such as blood or urine tests, PAP test or biopsy? Think about using a lab that isn’t located in or part of a hospital. They’re often way less expensive than a hospital lab, and some health insurance plans have a lower co-pay for outside labs. And many outside labs have more flexible hours, like when you need to go early in the morning before your half-caf-half-decaf-low-fat-vanilla-with-a-hint-of-cinammon-latte.
If you have a health problem that isn’t an emergency and you can’t see your regular doctor, think about going to an in-network retail clinic, walk-in doctor’s office or urgent care center. They can take less time than an emergency room, are open nights and weekends and could save you a TON o’money!
… 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 run every diagnostic test they could think of, often more than once. They suggested all sorts of treatments and medications. And they knew he was
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 is, but, more importantly, how are you ever going to find out what sort of crazy situation Goofus & Gallant have gotten themselves into now?
Do YOU know what tests you need to ask your doctor about every year? The Insurance Mom wants you to really take care of yourself. Everyday I talk to people who, seemingly all of a sudden, get sick — and it comes as such a surprise to them. What would be different if, every year, you have some simple tests done? You might just stay healthy, that’s what (and save money, too!). It’s easy. You can do it, I know
$183,998. That’s a lot of money! On a national average, it’s what you’ll pay if your Mom or Dad lands in a nursing home for the average stay of 2.4 years. That’s really a ton o’money!! If your Mom or Dad would prefer to get better at home (and who wouldn’t?), the cost of home care is about double. Do you have over $180,000 (or more?) to pay for long term care services? No? Do your parents have over
WOW! The Insurance Mom just went global! How cool is THAT?!!
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