Savings Strategies To Reduce Health Care Costs

American Investment Planners LLC

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It's no surprise that health care costs are one of the biggest budget busters - between co-pays for doctor's visits and prescription costs (not to mention the cost of health insurance alone), medical expenses can add up fast and take a toll on the wallets of all parties involved.

However, since health care costs are essentially unavoidable, the best approach for those looking to cut back is to find ways to save on the services they are already receiving/need to receive, even if very subtly. Below, thanks to Healthline, we've outlined a few different strategies that can assist with this process:

Inquire about generics: When a drug is prescribed, don't leave without asking your doctor if there is a generic version you can substitute as an alternative. Although the brand name may be available, these drugs often require a higher co-pay, making them the more expensive of the two. Since generic drugs are identical to the brand name drug in terms of dosage, safety and strength, for example, you can rest assured knowing that you'd be receiving the same services, just at a lower cost.

Research different pharmacies: Even if you have been going to the same pharmacy for years, that doesn't necessarily mean they are the most cost effective option. Before you find one to fill your prescriptions, research others around you to see what they are charging for the same drug - you might just find that a neighboring pharmacy offers the services you need at a much lower price!

Take your doctor's advice: All too often, patients fail to fill the prescriptions their doctors write for them; according to Healthline, around 20% of people are guilty of this! Unfortunately, though, not filling a prescription can actually lead to more health care costs since it could put you right back in your doctor's office for additional services. Therefore, if your doctor advises you to follow through with a treatment, take their word for it!

That all being said, it's extremely important to look at different options when it comes to treatments and pharmacies, and it's even more important to listen to your doctor the first time if you're looking to save a little on health care costs each day, month, even year! Now we'd like to know, which of these tips will you put into action first? Do you have another cost saving strategy that benefits you in terms of medical expenses? Be sure to visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+ to share your thoughts with us!

American Investment Planners LLC offers tax planning, estate planning, retirement planning and more to generations of families throughout the United States. More information about the services offered is available at www.americaninvestmentplanners.com.