If you dare to proceed without medical insurance, prepare for the battles. Only, If you have a plan to deal with medical emergencies you would be able to climb out of this sandpit. Otherwise, If you are not ready to deal with medical emergencies, you might end up being surrounded by financial problems.
Medical bills can be overwhelming, especially when you have to pay everything from your pocket. But no need to worry about it. Even if you are not insured, some ways will help you pay huge medical bills.
Lookout for Urgent Care Facilities
Most people rush to emergency rooms when they feel sick. If you are not insured, running to ERs can get you into huge medical debts. Uninsured people should not rush to ERs unless it’s an emergency. Emergency rooms are known for taking precautions even if they are not required. And It results in huge medical bills.
You should look out for urgent care facilities if you are not insured. Urgent care facilities in the states are open 24/7 and provide round-the-clock consultation and medical billing services. Urgent care facilities are a lot cheaper, an option that could be helpful for uninsured people.
Plus, you can also look out for private clinics. It will cost you much less in comparison to hospitals. Make sure you look for clinics and urgent care facilities beforehand because if you are not feeling well, you won’t be able to search for better options. You can use your social network to find good but cheaper options, so you can take care of yourself without having to pay lump sums in medical bills.
Advance Payment
Always share your financial status with your doctor. A doctor can help you in many ways. There’s a high chance a doctor will charge you a lower rate if you tell him that you are not insured. Also, you can always ask for discounts. Many doctors offer discounts to uninsured patients because they realize it’s hard to pay medical bills without insurance.
Another thing you can do to decrease your medical bills is to pay upfront. Advance payment usually costs less. For example, if you plan a baby, start saving for its delivery. And when the time comes, you will be ready for it. It is a relaxing approach instead of looking for options to pay for the delivery afterward. This way, you will be prepared and will be making decisions accordingly.
However, it won’t work in emergency rooms, but elsewhere it can save you a lot of money.
Saving on Medication
You might be surprised to know this, but you can also save on medications. The easiest way is to ask your doctor for free samples. Doctors receive tons of free samples for almost every drug. If you ask your consultant for one, he might give you one. This way, you will be able to reduce your expenses on medications.
Moreover, you can also ask your doctor to prescribe you generic versions. Generic versions are usually cheaper. Plus, they are available everywhere. It means you can get the generic drugs from a discounted store too. To avoid any hassle at the pharmacy, you can ask your doctor to write on the prescription that they are ‘generics approved.’ Also, make sure that you do a little research on the medication your doctor has prescribed you. Doctors often have no idea about the drug’s price; if you know it’s one of the expensive ones, you can ask to write an alternative.
Monthly Payment Plan
If by any chance you couldn’t avoid heavy medical bills with these tips, don’t worry, there’s still something you can do. You can always negotiate on your final bill. But before doing so, keep an eye on the details. Make sure the hospital is not billing any extra charges.
You can ask for a monthly installment plan. Hospitals offer funds, endowment plans, and charities to help in-need patients. Choose a plan that suits your monthly income.
Try to reach the doctor or the hospital’s finance department before they hand over your file to the collection department. Negotiating with doctors and finance executives is more manageable than with collection officers.
Take Excellent clinical revenue cycle management services for your collection if you are running a health care center.
