How to Save Money On Healthcare | Health Insurance, Healthcare Sharing, & Preventative Care That Counts
With healthcare costs rising we thought it only fitting to talk about frugal ways to approach caring for yourself. We cover healthcare sharing, HSAs, ways to maintain health, acupuncture, glasses/contacts, teeth cleanings and more! We know it's a frustrating and sometimes boring topic but we promise to bring some lighthearted humor and invaluable tips for this necessary issue.
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Beans and rice - the frugal dinner
What the internet has to say: Mila at The Balance
This article shares 10 ways to minimize costs on health care and insurance. Mila gives helpful information on the different nuances of various health insurance plans and some pitfalls to watch out for. While mainly talking health insurance, there are some great tips regarding billing and finding discounted services.
What Jen and Jill have to say:
- We agree with tip #3 about being aware of balance billing; this is a
real thing! Doctors offices may try to bill you for the balance not
paid by insurance, but you do not always need to pay this - We like tip #4 about finding alternative insurance. Some options
include: Farm Bureau Financial Services, Medi-Share - We do recommend looking into getting a health insurance broker,
sometimes this can save big money and YOU don't pay for the brokers
services
#10 is the tried and true frugal method; shop around and compare costs for specific procedures - This article by Wendy at WebMD 5 ways to save on medical costs. There
are obvious tips like talking to your doctor, but there are also some
suggestions we have not considered for saving on medications!
What Jen and Jill have to say:
We like tip #5 about pill splitting - it's possible to decrease the cost of prescription medications if certain milligram amounts are cheaper. Meaning pay less for the 30mg pill and split in half if your prescribed dosage is 15mg. Worth looking into!!
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Our Experience:
Jen
- Preventative care that will actually save you money isn’t screenings.
Check out this NY times article for more. - Consider contributing to HSA’s to offset the downfall of Medicare;
this article gives a great explanation on HSAs - Utilize Groupon for teeth cleanings
- Mystery shop for teeth cleaning and eye exams through A Closer Look.
- Shop for contacts through Ebates
- Acupuncture for preventative care; check out this article from the
Penny Hoarder regarding the benefits!
Jill:
- Know what’s an ‘emergency’ and what super glue can fix! For instance,
my pinky tragedy while doing the dishes! - Preventative care - drink apple cider vinegar everyday! Thanks Linda
Sirianni for this tip! Check out local dental schools for discounted
teeth cleanings - Mental health - check for free support groups in your area as well as
therapists that will bill you on a sliding scale if your insurance
won't cover. Here's a great article with tips and resources on
affordable mental health care