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Take advantage of
freebies at work!
If your workplace provides things like free screenings, flu shots,
or money toward gym memberships, take advantage!
Get to know your healthcare
plan, and your other plan options!
Don't ever put yourself in a position to wish you had put on a helmet,
buckle your seatbelt, or taking an extra five minutes to warm up
or to stretch and cool down after working out.
Most plans have out-of-pocket expenses, such as co-pays for primary
physicians, specialists, emergency room visits, and prescriptions.
Make sure you know about notification policies for emergency room
visits and hospitalizations. Many plans require pre-approval.
Check your coverage to see if you require pre approval or referrals
for things like physical therapy, chiropractic work, and alternative
treatments.
Make sure your providers are covered by your plan.
If you have children covered by your plan, make sure you know about
the limitations of coverage, including the age at which the child
loses eligibility.
Play with your coverage
options!
If you don't have coverage for things like dental, vision, and alternative
medicine, and you have or anticipate having a significant amount
of out-of-pocket expenses for these things, consider looking at
coverage options! On the flipside, if you pay a lot out-of-pocket
for coverage that you don't use, consider your options for lessening
or removing the coverage.
Get to know student
coverage rules!
If you have a student in college or graduate school still eligible
for your insurance, don't pay for the school's coverage as well!
Many people pay thousands of dollars to their children's colleges,
not knowing that their student may still be eligible for coverage
under the parents' plan.
Make Healthy lifestyle
choices!
Regular exercise, healthy food choices, choosing not to smoke or
drink, and getting enough sleep are crucial to health. If you choose
a health lifestyle, it is likely that you will have fewer visits
to the doctor.
Be safe!
Cutting corners with safety can start to really matter when an accident
happens. Don't ever put yourself in a position to wish you had put
on a helmet, buckled your seatbelt, or taking an extra five minutes
to warm up or to stretch and cool down after working out.
Keep a record of your
healthcare costs!
Make sure you know how much you are paying each year on co-pays,
prescriptions, over the counter medication, eyeglasses, and other
out-of-pocket expenses. In most cases, you can claim tax deductions
of your medical bills beyond your coverage exceed a certain percentage
of your annual gross income. You can research your eligibility yourself,
or ask your tax preparer for more details.
Review your bills
and charges!
With the good records you keep, you'll be able to know whether you
have been over/under charged for services, whether you have been
charged twice, or whether you have gotten cheaper service elsewhere.
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Extremely Useful Information - Checklist
to Reduce Health Care Costs