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How To Keep Medical Costs Down
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With all the HMOs and bureaucratic snags with health care and its skyrocketing costs today, it would behoove you to take a look at the following ways you can cut back on health-care costs.
- Make sure you really need to see a doctor, first of all. It sounds silly, but some people rush off to the doctor in a state of paranoia. Many offices offer call-in service, which can save you a trip.
- Avoid emergency rooms, unless it’s a true emergency. Emergency-room visits are far more expensive than a regular office visit to a physician, and often your insurance won’t cover it in full. Use urgent care centers or, if possible, wait until your doctor's office is open.
- If you don’t have insurance coverage, ask your doctor if he or she is willing to negotiate a fee or payment plan.
- Request an itemized bill, especially for hospitalization. Mistakes can happen, and you may have duplicate charges or be charged for a test you didn’t have.
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