6 Ways to Save Money on Healthcare from CNN
I recently came across an article from CNN Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen that shares some great tips on saving money on health related expenses:
1. Discount dental care
Most major cities have dental schools where patients can get dental procedures for up to half the cost of a regular dentist. The work is done by dental students but supervised by professors. The article includes a link to a directory of dental schools.
Another tip I’ve heard in terms of reducing major dental expenditures is traveling to Europe for cheap dental care. Many Britons and Americans travel to Hungary where they can have dental work done for a fraction of the cost than in the states.
2. Cheaper contact lenses
Article highlights how you can find contact lenses much cheaper online.
3. Discount drugs
The article mentions the standard advice of seeking out generics to name brand medications. Always ask your doctor if there is a suitable generic drug as an alternative to higher priced name brand drugs.
4. Lower hospital bills
Hospital bills are notorious for having some pretty major errors. I did a post recently about a lady who was charged $1600 for simple surgical screws. Always double check your bill. Hospitals are required to give you an itemized bill. If you find errors, take it up with the hospital or consider hiring a medical billing advocate. The article also highlights other alternatives.
5. Even lower hospital bills
Not a lot of folks realize that you can negotiate with hospitals on bills. When my mother was pregnant with my brother we didn’t have health insurance. She spoke with the doctor and was able to get a lower rate. If you can’t get the price down you can also negotiate payment plans.
6. A great tax deduction
I didn’t know this but if your medical and dental bills add up to more than 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income, you can get a tax deduction.
The article includes much more resources and details on each tip. Click Here
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