The most painful part of a hospital visit can be your bill, even if your health-care plan pays a high percentage of the expenses. Taking the following steps can help you reduce the cost of a hospital stay.
- Make sure a hospital visit is necessary. There may be non-invasive alternatives to surgery, or perhaps the procedure could be done on an outpatient basis.
- Always question the purpose of tests and procedures. Don't assume your physician will automatically recommend the least expensive test and treatment.
- Get as much of your treatment preapproved by your health-insurance representative as possible. This will keep you from having to fight for coverage afterward.
- Eliminate test duplication by refusing any preadmission tests that were done in your doctor's office.
Agree only to those tests pertinent to your treatment. Get your doctor involved if that creates problems with the hospital.
- Avoid weekend and holiday admissions. Unless your surgery is an emergency, you will receive little or no medical care, but you will still be billed hundreds of dollars a day for your room.
- Ask your doctor if you can bring your own medication. The hospital will charge you much more than your pharmacy for aspirin, acetaminophen and other basic medications. Ask your doctor to help you plan your medication needs in advance.
- Ask your doctor to inform you of all visits by other doctors and ask whether they're necessary for your recovery, since you'll be billed for them. Refuse to be seen by doctors you don't know or expect.
- Keep a daily log of tests, medications, doctor's visits, personal items received and consultations with specialists. Doing so will allow you to check the accuracy of your hospital bill. If you're too ill to keep such a log, ask a friend or relative to do so.
CHECKING YOUR BILL
Carefully check your hospital bill before you check out; mistakes are common. The following questions can help you find possible errors.
- Was I billed for the right kind of room for the right number of days?
- Was I billed twice for the same procedure or test?
- Was I billed for admission testing even though I had all my tests done before admission?
- Was I billed for procedures, tests or medications I did not have?
- Was I billed for visits by specialists that I did not receive?
- Was I billed for the right number for treatments I received from physical, speech or other therapists?
- Was I charged for daily hospital visits by my doctor that did not occur?
- Was I billed for medications to take at home even though I refused them?
Call the hospital accounting office and request an adjustment if you find an error. If you have difficulty resolving your complaint, speak with your insurance company, employee-benefits department or your state's Department of Consumer Affairs.
Taking Medicine the Right Way
Fifty percent of Americans take their medicines incorrectly. We take them too often or not often enough, or in the wrong doses at the wrong times. And up to 21% of us don't fill prescriptions.
Such practices jeopardize our health causing us to spend more time and money in our doctors' offices.
The following guidelines can help you reduce your health-care costs by helping you understand how to take medications correctly.
Ask your doctor the following questions when you're given a new prescription:
- What is the name of the medicine and what does it do?
- How much of the medicine should I take, when should I take it and for how long?
- What are the possible side effects and what should I do if they occur?
- What foods, beverages, other prescriptions and nonprescription medications should I avoid?
- Can you provide me with written information about this medicine?
These tips will help you improve your drug compliance:
- Tell your doctor and pharmacist which other medicines (including nonprescription drugs) you are taking.
- Discuss with your doctor any problems, such as allergic reactions or side effects, you've had with medications.
- Don't take another person's prescription medicine, even if your symptoms are similar.
- Take all the medication in a prescription if you're instructed to do so.
- Don't combine different drugs in one container. Drugs can react with one another, making them ineffective.
- Check the label each time you take your medication to verify the drug and the dosage you're about to take.
How to Reduce Your Doctor Bills
Even if you have health insurance, soaring medical costs can take a bite out of your income.
The following money-saving strategies are designed to help you reduce your medical costs by advising you to take appropriate actions before you visit your doctor, during an appointment and after you leave your physicians office.
BEFORE YOU GO
Medical appointments cost you money and time. These suggestions can help you avoid doctor visits except when necessary.
- Call for advice before scheduling an appointment. Many doctors and nurses set aside time each day to answer questions over the phone. Call first if you have questions regarding the side effects of a new prescription or are having trouble managing your medications.
- Self-treat simple health-care problems. You can treat a common cold, diarrhea, headaches and muscle aches and pains with over-the-counter medications. Ask your pharmacist for advice if you're unsure which nonprescription drugs to take. Seek medical care if your symptoms linger or worsen.
- Avoid specialists. Although a specialist is necessary sometimes, your general practitioner can treat most illnesses and conditions for a lower charge.
- Avoid emergency rooms unless an illness is life-threatening. An emergency-room visit usually costs twice as much as a doctor visit.
AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE
If you must visit your doctor, these suggestions can help you contain costs.
- Explain your symptoms in an organized fashion, beginning with your major complaint. If you have several problems, jot them down on a piece of paper before you arrive. Truthfully answer any questions your doctor asks.
- Ask your doctor about the cost of suggested treatments or therapies before you agree to them. There may be wide variation in price.
- Give your doctor a list of all medications you're taking. Or bring your medications, vitamins and any herbal remedies you're taking along with you so the doctor can check for possible interactions with new prescriptions that may be prescribed.
AFTER YOU LEAVE
These guidelines can help you get and stay well, so you can avoid repeat visits.
- Follow your doctor's advice. If your physician suggests you stop smoking or drinking, start exercising, improve your diet or get more rest, try to do so. Many health problems can be improved through a change in health and lifestyle habits.
- Take prescription medications as prescribed. For example, don't stop taking an antibiotic because you feel better. Not taking the full course of treatment can produce resistant strains of bacteria, leaving you vulnerable to reinfection.
- Beware of drug interactions with food, alcohol and other medications. Always ask your pharmacist if there are interactions you should be aware of when filling a new prescription.
- Call your doctor if you experience bothersome side effects or if your symptoms don't improve after a few days. He or she may change your dosage or switch you to a different medication.
- Get a second opinion. Get another doctor's opinion before agreeing to expensive tests, treatment or surgery.
Finally, keep a file of all your medical expenses. Receipts for doctor visits, hospital stays and prescription drugs are required when filing for insurance and Medicare benefits.
How to Save Money on All Your Medicines
You can control your health-care costs without compromising the quality of your care by asking questions that could help you save money on medications.
To reduce the cost of medication:
- Ask for generic drugs. You can save as much as 50% if your prescriptions have generic counterparts.
- Buy larger bottles. Buying over-the-counter drugs in large bottles can save you up to 35%.
- Choose store brands. Many chain pharmacies, supermarkets and discount stores offer their own brands of over-the-counter medications. These products contain almost the same ingredients as name-brand products at a savings of up to 30%.
- Ask your doctor for free samples of your medications; they're supplied to doctors for that purpose.
- Ask about discounts. Your pharmacy may offer discounts for seniors, infants, children and students ˜ or it may have periodic sales.
- Discuss prescriptions with your doctor. Ask if you really need a particular prescription or whether an alternative diet or exercise regimen could provide the same results.
- Ask your doctor to recommend over-the-counter medications. They're usually less expensive than prescription drugs and can be as effective for minor health problems.
- Request a prescription for bulk quantities if you're taking a medication for months at a time. Most pharmacies give a cost break for bulk orders that cover 60 to 90 days rather than the typical 30 days.
- Watch for sales. Make purchases when a pharmacy puts a medicine you take on sale.
Whether you're buying medication, visiting a doctor's office or checking into the hospital, shop around. Prices can vary significantly. Reducing your medical costs will take some footwork, but your efforts will be rewarded.
For More Information
- Health Allies, www.healthallies.com offers advice on how to reduce healthcare expenses.
- Health Consumer, www.healthconsumer.com provides information on how to save money on medical expenses.
- Complete Idiot's Guide to Managed Health Care by Sophie M. Korczyk, Macmillan Reference, 1997, $16.95.
- The Consumer's Medical Desk Reference by Charles B. Inlander and The People's Medical Society, Hyperion, 1995, $24.95.
