Coping with Rising Healthcare Costs

This is a year where many are seeing increases in healthcare coverage costs along with decreasing benefits. A total of 60 percent of individuals are covered under employer-sponsored plans, down from 65 percent in 2000. There are things you can do to reduce your costs, according to iVillage.

Start by taking care of your health. Quit smoking, work on being your ideal weight, and keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control. Be aware of preventative care. It ultimately saves you and your company a great deal of money. Some companies are actually paying a bonus for those who participate in preventative healthcare. Other companies will pay bonuses for quitting smoking or losing weight.

Stay within your network and work with your doctor to determine what’s covered in your plan and what is not. When it comes to taking medications and testing, get your in-network doctor to do the testing and try to cut down on duplicate tests, including x-rays. This is true for surgery, too. If you need surgery, make sure you stay within your plan. Make sure the anesthesiologist is within network as well and know what tests are being done by the surgeon to avoid duplication. If you need to see someone out of network, try to negotiate fees. Some will see you at a lower rate if they know and agree to it in advance.

Keep your prescription costs down by asking for samples. This is especially good for a one-time occurrence. Always, always use generics unless no generics exist. The cost for generics is considerably less and most plans have lesser copays for generic drugs. Cut down on refills by doubling the dose in the bottle and using half a bottle per month. There will be one co-pay per every two months of use. Check out different pharmacies to see if the copays are best at the pharmacy you choose.