Cut Your Medical Costs

(CARLSBAD, CA) – You can’t put a price on your health…or can you? Rising medical costs are one of the greatest concerns of American families today.

A Commonwealth Fund study reports that one in four U.S. families face out-of-pocket medical costs equal to ten percent or more of their income. And the Milliman Medical Index indicates that medical costs paid by a typical American family of four are estimated to be more than $12,000 per year, with insurance benefits under a preferred provider organization.

Medical bills are actually responsible for half of all bankruptcies, according to a study conducted by Harvard University. On an average medical emergency, research shows that you will pay $13,000 for out-of-pocket costs.

How can you reduce your medical expenses without compromising the quality of medical care that you receive? Jazzercise Founder and CEO Judi Sheppard Missett offers a few simple tips that can keep you healthy without breaking the bank.

1. Choose your plan carefully. If your employer offers more than one health care plan, then do your homework before signing up. Many employers offer an option of a health maintenance organization (HMO) and a preferred provider organization (PPO). Research your options and ask questions. Then, choose the plan that best meets your medical needs.

2. Read your statements completely. The Medical Billing Advocates of America reports that 90 percent of all medical bills contain some type of error. Be sure to read your statements in their entirety. Ask for an itemized bill if one has not been provided for you.

3. Save everything. If you find an error in a medical statement, you will be able to dispute it more easily if you have saved your co-pay receipts, pre-certification letters and explanation of benefits. Save your paperwork for seven years. That way, you’ll have all necessary documentation in case the IRS questions your medical expense deductions.

4. Open a flexible spending account. Most large-scale employers offer flexible spending accounts, in which the company deducts a pre-determined amount from your paycheck, before taxes. This money can be used for your out-of-pocket medical expenses, such as co-pays, deductibles, and even contact lens solution. The trick is that you have to spend all of the money that you’ve set aside in your account before the end of the year. Use your previous year’s medical bills to estimate your expenses carefully and check your account balance periodically throughout the year.

5. Be savvy about prescription drugs. Ask your doctor about suitable generic versions of your brand-name prescriptions. The generic versions often call for lower co-pays, which can save you $10 or $20 every month. Doctors can also prescribe a three-month supply for most medications instead of a one-month supply, which means you’ll only pay your co-pay every 90 days.

Quality medical care can still be affordable. Do your homework. Ask questions. Consider all of your options. Don’t be shy about asking for what you want. It’s your health, after all.

Jazzercise, created by Judi Sheppard Missett, is the world's leading dance-fitness program with more than 7,200 instructors teaching 32,000 classes weekly in the U.S. and around the globe. Since 1969, millions of people of all ages and fitness levels have reaped the benefits of this comprehensive program, designed to enhance cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility. For more information on Jazzercise go to jazzercise.com or call (800)FIT-IS-IT or (760)476-1750.

Courtesy of Jazzercise, Inc. - jazzercise.com