We don’t generally think of ourselves as consumers when we visit our doctor, but that’s exactly what we are. We are paying money for a service, and even if the insurance company is paying most of the bill, we are a consumer to the health insurance company as we pay premiums each month. A report from Consumer Report’s Trouble Tracker Index says 16% of Americans are unable to pay their medical bills, so having some haggling skills may come in handy during these tough times.
The Consumer Reports Index gauges the health of the economy from the consumer perspective, and 16% of Americans not being able to pay their medical costs is a concerning number. John Santa, MD, MPH, the director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center points out how overwhelmed Americans are with health care costs and many people just cannot pay their bills and cannot afford their medication. Even with insurance, these bills can be through the roof as benefits get cut by insurers to balance the rising costs of health care.
In response to these tough times, Consumer Report gives some advice for those looking to cut costs on their health care. First, try to speak to your health care provider while you are healthy. The best time to discuss costs with your doctor is before they have actually incurred. If you can make your doctor aware of your financial situation, they may take a different route when suggesting expensive treatments or medications. Next, once the costs have incurred, do not assume they are set in stone. Providers often times offer discounts and sometimes, services deemed unnecessary can be eliminated. The next piece of advice involves elective surgery. Shopping around can make a huge difference and let doctors know you are shopping around for the best price so they can make you the best possible offer.
These are just a few steps to consider when trying to decrease your medical bills. Hopefully, through health care reform, everyone will experience more affordable health care and it will involve quality, affordable health insurance with maternity coverage and other pertinent benefits. This is going to be a long process though, so until then, haggling with your doctor could end up paying off.
Written by Sam Tabes
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