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Tired of paying huge amounts for medical treatment? There are many ways to cut the personal costs of healthcare. Here are just a few different ways to make medical bills more affordable.
Find the right health insurer
Health insurance can help to make treatment much more affordable. However, it’s vital that you choose the right insurance scheme so you’re not paying excessively high rates and so you’re getting all the right coverage.
Spend your time comparing quotes and consider using a broker. Even when applying to Medicare, it’s worth getting help from a company such as Medicare Nationwide to get the best deal. Be wary of high deductible plans – while they can have cheaper rates, you’ll have to pay more out of your own pocket in the event of getting treatment.
Consider an HSA
A health savings account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged savings account into which an employer pays a small amount of your earnings each month. Money in these accounts can only be spent on healthcare needs. They are useful for paying off health insurance deductibles and could allow you to opt for a high deductible plan. They can also be used to pay for medication and other medical supplies. If you don’t already have an HSA, talk to your employer about setting one up.
Shop around for treatment
Almost every clinic charges different rates for treatment. Consequently, it can be worth shopping around to find the cheapest treatment (providing you don’t need emergency treatment). If you know what procedure is needed, most clinics will be able to give you quotes, allowing you to compare rates. Some people go as far as to fly abroad for medical procedures such as surgery – even with the added costs of flights, you can save yourself a lot of money. Net Doctor offers more information on this.
Ask about payment plans
A lot of medical treatment centers offer payment plans. This could allow you to pay for treatment in installments, helping to spread out the cost. Some clinics offer discounts to patients that pay in advance. Paying in installments after treatment may result in added interest charges in some cases.
Check your bills for errors
It’s important to always check your bills to ensure that they are accurate. Billing errors are common and could cost you a lot of money. This could include being charged for the same treatment twice or being charged for treatment that you never had. On top of checking hospital bills, check your insurance bill to make sure that your insurer is paying everything that they agreed to. Most bills should be itemized – if not, you should request an itemized bill so that you can see all the individual costs involved in a single treatment.
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