Gone are the days when your hometown doctor made housecalls and accepted chickens, eggs and goats as payment. This scenario makes for a great night of viewing nostalgic television, but bears little resemblance to the 21st century.
In some ways I think it’s safe to say that health insurance has actually served to leverage the price of healthcare upward. I believe this to be true simply because there have been many without insurance who have defaulted on medial payments. In order to make up the deficit fees have been raised across the board. Insurance companies have paid those fees and then passed the increase on to their policyholders.
Most insurance carriers will negotiate a discounted fee, but for the medical profession it is insurance coverage that provides the most assurance of payment. There are multiple options for individuals wrestling with a low cost option for health insurance needs.
Personal Health Insurance. In some cases an employer will offer health insurance, but the employee will bear the greats financial burden in paying for it. There may be personal health plans for you and your family that are less expensive than the plan offered through your place of employment.
Associations. If you are a part of an association (in many cases this would likely be one where you pay monthly or yearly dues) there may be a low-cost health insurance option through that association. There are even some church denominations that provide health insurance plans for their members. Identify the associations you are a part of and investigate the possibilities. In some cases this might even be found through a credit union you may be a part of.
Children first. If you are having a difficult time making ends meet or you’ve lost your job you might inquire as to the policies in your state that allow health insurance coverage for non-insured children.
Medicaid. Similar to the above, this service of the U.S. Government is administered on a state level and each state provides differing eligibility requirements. If you are working, but still are considered low-income by your state’s standards you may be eligible for help from Medicaid.
Cost sharing. There are a growing number of groups that are operating on a level that is somewhat different than health care. When you become a part of this plan it will be other members of the group that pay for your medical expenses. Your monthly payment (much less than typical insurance plans) will actually go to another member to offset their covered medical claims, in most cases. There will also be times you will be asked to send the payment to the organization headquarters for administration costs. Organizations that have been around more than 10 years may be worth looking at.
Ask for a discount. If you have to pay cash you should be bold enough to ask for a medical discount. These discounts are generally offered to insurance companies, so why not individuals. They may tell you no, but if they understand you have to pay for your medical services out of pocket they may be willing to reduce the fees. This can be for both small and more significant services. For instance there are cases where a major medical treatment is needed, but there is no insurance to cover the expense. The doctor or hospital may waive or drastically reduce their charges in order to provide the service. Even pharmaceutical companies may offer life saving medications at little or no cost based on actual need. You would need to contact the manufacturer directly for details.
There may be other health insurance options, but the above are the most affordable. In cases where an injury is work related you should always file for worker’s compensation. In the case of an injury in a car accident or on another’s property that was not your fault you should seek compensation through the insurance plan held by the other individual. There are many ways to reduce your medical expenses if you remember to keep all your options in view.
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