How Can You Reduce Your Medical Bills?

Maintaining your health does not come cheaply, but that doesn't mean that you have to pay the highest price on the market. That nasty shock you received in your bill after the last visit to the doctor may have easily been prevented.

This article will walk you through ways of making a walk-in visit to the doctor friendly to both your health and pocketbook.

One type of health facility you should be well acquainted with to reduce your bills is the urgent care center. There are many of them around the nation, and they cater to non-life threatening injuries or illnesses that require immediate care.

Wikipedia gives a detailed description of these facilities, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield has a wonderful outline of services they provide. They are generally known to provide services similar to an emergency room(ER) at a faster yet cheaper rate.

Let's look at how we can further reduce the cost of your walk-in visit to the urgent care center:

Plan 
This point cannot be stressed enough. Plan ahead of time, before you need the services of an urgent care center. Scout online to find the nearest urgent care centers within your vicinity, and identify those in your insurance's in-network group and the prices of the services they offer. Have your medical history and other health-related information like allergies available. This eliminates some unnecessary tests that you can be charged for.

Scrutinize your bill 
Some hospitals run both an urgent care facility and an ER. Ensure that your visit to the urgent care facility is not billed as an ER visit.

Ask questions 
If your bill states confusing charges, do ask what they are for. Debt.org states that medical billing offices can reduce the bills of patients willing to contest certain charges.

Bargain 
Yes, everything is negotiable, even a hospital bill. Explain to the billing officer how difficult it is to pay and they might offer some sort of discount. Ask about other discounts you may qualify for. No hospital has yet stated a limit to discounts that can be applied to a bill.

Bonus for the uninsured 
Paying the full cost of a doctor's visit on the spot might seem like a budget-buster. Still, it is helpful to carry along your debit card. Most urgent care centers offer a discount if you pay for your visit in cash or upfront.

Shop around 
Though urgent care centers are generally cheaper than a visit to the ER, prices vary wildly from one facility to the other. As stated by Jeffery Kang, just like a prescription, a doctor's order for a lab test or x-ray can be filled at any certified facility. Accepting services at the cheaper facility would provide the same results to your physician.

Frequent flyers 
Yes, if you have visited an urgent care facility before, chances are your bill on subsequent visits for similar walk-in treatment would be at a reduced cost. So avoid hopping from one center to another when seeking health care. Your health and your money live happily ever after

As they say, prevention is better than cure. When you must seek treatment, caring for your health should not degrade your finances. Urgent care centers have multiple ways to help you reduce the total on your medical bill.

Visit your nearest urgent care clinic and start saving money on your medical care costs today. If you live in Tampa, Florida visit Doctors Express and witness the difference in cost for yourself. For more information visit http://www.doctorsexpresscitruspark.com/