6 Tips To Reduce Your Medical Costs - 1 views
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shared by Rose McGowan on 21 May 14
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Rose McGowan on 21 May 14According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, healthcare costs are expected to rise by 5.8% each year until 2022, which is going to make for a pretty serious hike in your expenses. Instead of getting frustrated and giving in, though, put your thinking cap on. If you're willing to roll your sleeves up and do a little research, you can find plenty of ways to reduce your medical costs. Here are six of them. 1. Use Urgent Care Facilities Instead of the Emergency Room It's a pretty decent bet that there's an urgent care facility near where you live that you can use in lieu of the emergency room. It won't cost you as much, and many such facilities offer extended hours. Don't wait for the next time an emergency occurs - do an Internet search now to find suitable locations and note their hours of operation. 2. Improve Your Health One of the simplest ways to decrease your medical costs is to improve your health. If you're overweight, join a gym or create a home workout program and adjust your diet to include more fresh fruits and vegetables. Still smoking cigarettes? Buy a patch or join a support group and quit. Got friends who encourage you to party it up on the weekends? Find yourself some new ones or convince them to participate in healthier activities. Concrete steps like these can get you more fit and less likely to need medical attention. 3. Get Generic Prescription Medication Whenever your doctor prescribes any medication, be sure to ask for a generic option. You can save as much as 85%, according to the Food and Drug Administration, which also points out that you don't sacrifice anything in quality by avoiding brand name meds. 4. Pay Your Bill Upfront If you have the means to do so, offer to pay your medical bill upfront for a negotiated discount. This is a shrewd and under-used method to reduce your medical costs. See the billing department at the hospital or your doctor's office for details. 5. Use Your Smartphone A variety of mo