Higher Costs For Medical Services Medical, Dental, Healthcare Savings, Medical Discounts, Dental Discounts, Insurance, Coverage, Health BetterBenefitOptions (learn more) Healthcare costs are expected to increase 6.8 percent this year, according to a report from PricewaterhouseCooper’s Health Research Institute. (pnhp.org/blog/2014/06/25/disturbing-pwc-report-on-employer-medical-cost-trends/ ) It’s likely you’ll pay more for your health insurance. Insurance plans will require higher deductibles and more out-of-pocket expenses before your insurance will pay. Less able to afford, decreased provider networks and higher deductibles is the direction employee sponsored plans for healthcare coverage is headed. What Can You Do? Review Your Plan and Compare To Other Plans Now is a great time to analyze your options and prepare for the possible increases in cost by reviewing your health insurance plan. How much is your employer contributing to your insurance coverage? You may want to compare plans with other insurance companies to compare costs and coverages, especially if you need coverage for your family. Choose healthcare providers that offer quality and affordability. Search for companies that provide substantial discounts on medical and dental services to save on your out-of-pocket expenses. A hospital comparison tool (nerdwallet/health/hospitals/best ) can help you compare prices and quality ratings before scheduling a procedure. Know What You Are Paying For Ask what the charges, fees and out-of-pocket costs will be for the recommended treatment plan. Ask who the providers are that will be a part of your care and make sure they are in your plans network. Even if a hospital is in the network, the doctors providing the services may not be, so make sure. Search for an advocacy program ( BetterBenefitoptions )that will negotiate with the hospital to significantly lower your hospital bills. Save on Prescriptions Talk to your doctor about low-cost alternatives. If possible, choose generic medications. Another alternative is to search for companies that offer discounts on prescriptions. Billing Errors An estimated 4 out of 5 medical bills have errors. Procedures not authorized, wrong charges for procedures and duplicate charges are relatively common. You can ask for an itemized version of your medical bills. Review them carefully.
Posted on: Sat, 24 Jan 2015 13:00:24 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015