When money does matter, everybody seeks for the proven ways to cut down expenses, optimize a household budget, and eliminate wastes. To help you better stretch a dollar, Canadian Health Care Mall www.canadahealthcaremall.com presents 5 amazingly handy methods to save on HC spending.
Pick the right insurance plan
When shopping for a health insurance, do not fling yourself on the first available with a seemingly low monthly premium and always reevaluate the one you had before. Dr. Stanley D. Emmerson MD, a writing pharmacist of Canadahealthcaremall.com, says that purchasing a health insurance plan basing solely on the lowest monthly premium is a great mistake. Such a plan is only good for those who do not have any medical issues. But the overwhelming majority of people do have them! When comparing health insurance plans, find out whether they cover emergency room visits, abroad travel incidents, and medical procedures. While doing so, mind their monthly premiums and deductibles and also get a rough estimate of an average number of:
- Doctor visits you generally make per year,
- Prescriptions drugs you may need,
- Dental and other services you may require.
Dr. Emmerson suggests that the best insurance plan is that one, which includes the doctors you visit most often and medications you take routinely; additionally it must provide care for all chronic conditions, which you have. Also, try to carefully investigate health plans in terms of offering some extra services you do not hear much about, such as discounts on acupuncture treatment, gym membership, massage sessions or fat-loss programs – this all counts when it comes to reducing healthcare costs!
However, if you are healthy, without any ongoing conditions and do not visit doctors often, the best option for you may be a high-deductible health insurance scheme that can save you significant sums of money owing to lower premiums. Such a plan covers catastrophic issues requiring long hospitalization or recovery after accidents such as cancer, coma, acute myocardial infarction, and stroke. Choosing a right health insurance plan is your first step on the path towards massive savings on healthcare.
Take the most out of online and hotline consultants
That is true that many doctors offer real-time video consultants, which may cost you arm and leg ($50 for a 10-minute session). It won’t go. Fortunately, there are lots of online healthcare services like Canadian Health and Care Mall having 24/7 free healthcare hotlines, inquiry forms, and live chat consultants to assist consumers with any issue concerning health and medications.
A community where you live may also have some kind of 24-hour nurse advice lines just to provide you with an expert word. Telephone nurses can:
- guide you how to manage your condition at home,
- explain your drugs and how to take them safely,
- help you make an appointment with a right doctor,
- consult on any other health concern.
Simply browse the Internet for the phone numbers of such services in your neighborhood and stick a memo with their contact information on your fridge – just in case. By the way, such information may also be provided in your insurance paper – make sure to read it thoroughly at loose hours. If you do not have any life-threatening conditions and definitely do not need an emergency hospitalization, turning to free consultations will definitely help you save on healthcare.
Go generic!
If you have a health issue, ask your doctor to prescribe you a cheaper, say, generic counterpart of a brand-name drug and enjoy how the specialist will be trying to persuade you that health care costs cannot but be high! That is an egregious lie, reminding of a global conspiracy.
In fact, you really can reduce your healthcare costs by paying less for prescriptions. In almost every case, generic drugs are as effective as originals, but at the same time they are way more affordable, says Dr. Stanley D. Emmerson MD, an author, writing medical articles for Canadian Health&Care Mall. We all know and periodically need to take Nurofen – a legendary painkiller with a prohibitively high price (about $20 per a 200 mg 80 pack). The generic version of Nurofen is Ibuprofen (it is, at the same time, the key ingredient of Nurofen) that costs as low as $7 per the same strength and pack. Do you feel the difference? A good way to go wiser with HC expenses is to learn the generic names of popular drug brands and buy necessary medications at a fair price.
Free samples, special offers, and discounts
Have the impudence to ask your doctor for free drug samples – rest assured, there are always some in their cupboards! Very often it turns out that physicians have enough trial-size samples to cover your whole treatment session!
If your doctor is an intractable lad, then check out e-pharmacies to know whether they have some bargain offers, discounts or promo-coupons for the drug you need. As a rule, they do have them! For instance, the Canadian Health&Care Mall online drugstore conducts special offers, manufacturers’ promotions, and special day discounts on a regular basis. Even if no discounts seem to be available at the present moment, the facility encourages you to contact them via the Help Center page, explain your life situation, and ask for an individual discount. And you will be heard, never fear!
Never underestimate preventive measures
Probably the most efficient method to cut corners on healthcare is to maintain your health. Most insurance plans cover annual preventive care visits with no additional out-of-pocket payments – do not fail to make use of such opportunity! Try to get vaccines on time to minimize your risk of falling ill with flu and other epidemic diseases. Follow elementary hygiene rules, like scrubbing hands with soap before meals and after outside activities, to prevent infectious bacilli from invading your body and triggering your immune system. And if you add calcium, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D supplements to your everyday nutrition, you will surely be able to spend less of your hard-earned money on healthcare services, because the vitamin-mineral deficit is often a culprit of many diseases.
The material presented in this article is courtesy of Canadian Health and Care Mall https://www.canadahealthcaremall.com – an online source of expert health and drug advice.