Save on Medical Costs

My son broke three bones in his foot when he jumped down some stairs. When we began this medical journey, we knew we needed to do all we could to cut costs while getting him the help he needed.

We were told he needed a CT scan because one of the bones had been broken right by the growth plate and near the joint in his toe. We were told it was going to cost $1200-$1500 to have the scan done in the city where our doctor's office was. My husband called a couple of the hospitals in nearby towns. One hospital quoted us $980 and the other hospital quoted us $750. We had the CT scan done for $750 at a hospital that was newly remodelled and had state of the art equipment. The CT scan was top quality. The doctor said it even had additional views that the $1200-$1500 scan typically doesn't have.

The next area we were able to save was in buying our own walking boot. After being in a normal cast for a month, we were told my son needed to wear a walking boot for a month. We talked with the doctor and asked about bringing our own boot. That was fine with her. So I called the gal who was in charge of all the medical equipment at the doctor's office to find out what to look for. She was very kind and gave me pointers on what to look for and also a quote on what a boot would cost if we got it from them. She said it was $160, but if we paid directly instead of running it through our insurance, we could get a 35% discount. As you can see from the picture, the boots isn't that special, so it seemed quite expensive to me. So, I looked online. I found I could buy a new one for $80-$100. Then, I posted a wanted ad on www.craigslist.org hoping to buy a used one. A gal contacted me and she had one but it was a larger size than my son needed. However, we still got that boot from her and he wore it over his normal cast when he was out in the snow. She told me she had gotten it second hand from a thrift store. That was not a place I had thought to look. That evening I sent a message to a friend who works at a local thrift store. I asked her if they got medical equipment in and explained what I was looking for. She said they got medical equipment in all the time because people often use it for a very short time and then have no need for it. I went to the thrift store she works at and they had a boot that fit my son perfectly. It didn't even look like it had been used. It had the instruction manual inside and an extra cushion with it. It cost $1! I was amazed and incredibly blessed!

When it comes to medical issues, the costs can be outrageous. You can take the easy road and just do whatever the doctor or the office suggests or you can be pro-active and see if you can't reduce those costs a bit. I would never want to cut costs if it meant inferior care. In our case, we were able to save a significant amount of money on the CT scan and they did a great job. And as for the boot, every time I see it, it makes me smile...because I love a bargain!

And, if anyone needs a short walking boot(size medium), I have one to give away. And in another two weeks, I'll have a tall walking boot (size small)...that is now in used shape.

What can you do today to save money later?

Today I took my daughter to the dentist. She had a tooth that was bothering her. It turned out it was badly decayed. I guess failing to make getting to the dentist a priority is going to cost us because she is going to have a large filling in one tooth and the the other tooth they are going to have the take out all the pulp and fill it with a calcium substance before putting a large filling on that tooth too (it's a baby tooth). Then this afternoon I was working on a project I need to have done before Christmas. When I ordered some prints online, I ended up paying extra to have them done in one hour rather than waiting a week to ten days to have them sent to me.

In both of these circumstances, I realized that if I had been proactive, I could have saved. If I had gotten my daughter in for a regular check-up or at the least, when I first noticed the decay on her tooth, chances are it would have been a small filling. If I had gone online and ordered the prints I needed two weeks ago, I could have taken the cheaper option and had them shipped to me without fear that I wouldn't be able to complete my project on time.

What do you have in your life that if you accomplished it today, it will save you money in the long run? Post your suggestions for the rest of us to learn from!

Saving on medical bills

Medical costs just seem to keep going up. Unless you have a great insurance program that covers all your costs, I am sure you have considered what you can do to keep your medical costs down. Of course, the most obvious thing to do is take good care of yourself by eating what is healthy and getting excercise. However, when you do need medical help, here are some things to remember:
1. Find out what clinic in your area is most affordable. The best one we have found is in Missoula. It is called Cost Care. At www.costcare.com you can check out their hours and locations (they currently have 4). The appointments cost $45. They keep their costs affordable by having a small staff and collecting payment when they give service. They are happy to provide you with a receipt you can submit to your insurance company.
2. When you go in to the doctor, ask if they give a discount for cash payments. This is advantageous for them because they don't have to pay credit card processing fees and they also know that they will be able to collect on the services they have provided. If you explain your situation, a good receptionist will be able to tell you what financial options are available...but you must ASK.
3. Check the statements that you receive from your doctor (and insurance company) to make sure you are only being charged for services you received. If you have a question about your bill, call and ask about it. Recently I had a doctors appointment and I had a question about something on my bill. It took some persistence. At first the receptionist transferred me to someone in billing. She couldn't help me, but transferred me to the office manager. The office manager wasn't in, so I had to leave a message. She called me back the next business day. I explained the situation. She said she wasn't authorized to change anything without talking to the doctor. So I asked her to ask the doctor about it. She did and called back to let me know the doctor authorized the change on the billing. It definetely took effort to get to the bottom of the issue, but it saved me $106.
4. The most important thing to remember is that as a patient you are a consumer. Don't feel bad about asking for an explanation. Doctors provide medical services and you are entitled to understand what you are receiving and what you are being charged for it.

It is never convienant to have a medical issue. So, be a bit proactive and find out where affordable medical help is available. Of course, you are talking about your life here...so cheap is not the most important thing. You are looking for someone who has good expertise, you feel comfortable with, and who can offer you affordable care.