WC Iowa News

Crawford County Memorial Hospital recently issued the following announcement.

February is Wise Healthcare Consumer Month. The purpose of Wise Health Care Consumer Month is to inform and empower people about making smart choices when it comes to their health care. While you would be correct in thinking that Americans are smart shoppers, buying a health plan or understanding how healthcare charges are calculated is a foreign experience for the vast majority of consumers. Most people in the U.S. spend more time researching car purchases and new appliances than they do choosing doctors and health plans.

With health care costs continuing to rise, it’s more important than ever to take responsibility for your medical care choices. Asking questions and researching your options are good ways to start taking control of how much you spend on health care.

Here are some tips to help you in making healthcare choices:

• Take your time in selecting a primary care provider. Prepare for primary care provider visits in advance by writing down your questions and concerns. Some of those questions might include:
  • How much will my treatment cost?
  • Can I be treated another way that is equally effective but less costly?
  • What are the risks?
  • What are the side effects?
• Talk to your primary care provider about your treatment. Patients often accept their care providers’ advice without truly understanding what treatment alternatives are available, and what—if any—differences there are in cost and effectiveness among those alternatives. Having a conversation with your primary care provider can help you better understand how his or her care and recommendations affect your health and your plan costs.
• Get regular physical exams. The single best way to keep medical costs down is to detect health issues early—when they are generally less complicated to treat.
• Be your primary care provider’s partner. Give your provider complete and accurate information about your health, including any medications you may be taking. Ask questions if you do not understand something. Follow your provider’s instructions.
• Do not ignore symptoms. When you don’t feel quite right, your body may be giving you signals that something more serious is going on. If you have tried treating the symptoms on your own but are not improving, you may need medical attention.
• Understand your medication. When your primary care provider prescribes a medication, make sure he or she knows what else you take—including prescription and non-prescription medications, herbal supplements, and home remedies. Know what the prescription is for and what side effects may occur.
• Use generic drugs when appropriate. Generic drugs may contain different inactive ingredients, but the primary difference between generic and brand name medications lies in the name of the drug and the cost. Generic drugs cost less but still provide the same health benefits as name brand drugs.
• Know your health insurance plan inside and out. Seeing providers who are in your insurance plan’s network is typically much less expensive than out-of-network health care providers. When you choose a plan, make sure that you have access to the healthcare providers and hospitals you will want to visit when you need care.
• Review bills and benefits. When you need medical care or medications, review your insurance coverage to understand what costs you will be responsible for. Then, when you receive the bill and Explanation of Benefits (EOB), carefully look it over to ensure that you were charged correctly. Errors can occur in medical billing codes and in coverage, so taking a few minutes to read through the bill could save you money by catching potentially costly mistakes.
• Don’t forget to take care of your mental health just as you would your physical health.
• Keep a list of all of your healthcare providers and medications handy.

Consider Your Healthcare Plan Options

Making careful health care decisions is vital for keeping your health care costs down. You can control your out-of-pocket costs by carefully reviewing your health insurance plan options and choosing the one that best fits your needs. For example, if you have many medical problems or recurring medication, you might want to pay a higher premium for more coverage and a lower deductible. If you are generally healthy and rarely need to visit the doctor, a high deductible health plan (HDHP) with lower monthly premiums might be the most cost-effective option.

In general, being a wise health care consumer means taking the time to learn about your insurance and medical care options, choosing the plan and treatments that are best for you, and reviewing medical bills to ensure the charges are correct.

CCMH has Financial Counselors on duty to help answer questions about your medical charges, provide good faith estimates of potential costs for medical services, and to help you select a health insurance plan that’s right for you and your family. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call 712-265-2500.

Original source can be found here.