Right now, the issue of the costs of healthcare is a burning topic. Many are advocating for changes that would make it so that no one needs to fear going to the doctor because they’re worried about what it might cost them.
However, waiting for a change isn’t going to make it any easier to handle those costs in the meantime. If you’re sincerely worried about what having a healthy family might cost you, there are some things you could do now.
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“Don’t get sick” might sound like the worst piece of non-advice, ever, but the truth is that some of the most common ailments, such as diabetes and heart disease, are preventable.
Up to 80% of cases of premature heart disease, stroke, and diabetes could be prevented with a healthier lifestyle.
Ingraining healthy habits of eating a nutritious diet, exercising, and communicating health problems in your family could help avoid those costly risks.
You should also take your oral health seriously as this critical part of our overall well-being is commonly overlooked.
Save for those bills
You can’t prevent every accident, injury, or illness from rearing its ugly head. However, rather than relying solely on your insurance and eating the deductibles that do put families in severe risk of financial distress, you may want to look at putting together savings to cover the cost of future medical bills.
Health savings accounts are high-interest savings that can not only cover medical expenses if you’re on a high-deductible health insurance plan, but they are also one of the few accounts immune from taxes on any income made from the savings within it.
Find more affordable care
Being smart about where you look for treatment can help you save on some costs, as well.
For instance, if it’s not a life-threatening emergency, then going to the emergency room could cost you a lot more than trying to find an urgent care clinic that is part of your insurance network.
You should also look to see if there are any nonprofits or organizations in your area that provide basic medical services for kids for free or at a steeply reduced cost.
The growth of these organizations throughout communities is helping families ensure their kids are cared for without worrying about impacting their financial security.
Take advantage of your plan
Besides looking for a more affordable plan, you should also look at what those plans have to offer that could help you cut your costs.
For instance, the ACA offers free preventative care, that can help you reduce the risk of winding up paying to treat preventable health issues down the line.
You should also look for ones that allow the use of special services to treat for ongoing conditions. For instance, some plans allow those with allergies to buy a home nebulizer rather than paying to rent one for a much higher price from a pharmacy.
Hopefully, using the tips above help you to lower your healthcare costs and access quality care when needed.
The public is overwhelmingly starting to support plans that aim to address the rocketing costs of care, but those of us with families need to be able to address the problem on our doorstep, too.
