Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 12
BY RUSSELL WILD
ivww.aartmiagazine.org
%jS3Jr How scared are you of big
p medical bills? If you're like
f l most people, very. Americans
M fret more about their health care
costs than they do about losing a
job, paying the mortgage, or becoming
a victim of terrorism, according to a re
cent survey by the Kaiser Family Foun
dation.
And that's not unreasonable. In this
country personal expenditures on
health care have skyrocketed, rising at
more than twice the rate of inflation.
Hit especially hard are those ages 50
through 64. People in that age range
who buy insurance on their own pay
chillingly high rates, with more than
half shelling out $3,600 or more annu
ally on premiums. And that's to say
nothing of deductibles and copays.
At age 65, of course, Medicare kicks
in, greatly lightening that load for most.
But costs can still be substantial, even
for those who take advantage of the
new Medicare drug coverage. Recent
estimates by Fidelity Investments show
that a 65-year-old couple retiring today
should have at least $200,000 saved just
to cover out-of-pocket medical expens
es during their retirement years. For
couples ages 60, 55, and 50 planning
to leave the work force at 65, the num
bers jump to $275,000, $350,000, and
$425,000, respectively. "This is consid
erably more than most Americans have
planned for—if they have planned
at all," says Brad Kimler, senior vice
president of Fidelity Employer Services
Company.
This harsh reality is starting to trans
late into a kind of revolutionary fervor
among some Americans. "Our health
care system clearly isn't working," says
William Schwied, M.D., M.P.H., an 85-
year-old retired physician who has or
ganized hundreds of California retirees
in a grass-roots effort to fight for a bet
ter health care system. "The only way
we'll see change is for people to take to
the streets," he says.
But you don't have to wait for sys
temic reform to save money on your
55 insider tips for saving money on dr
YQURi TAKE-CHARGE GUID
own medical costs. You have the power
to take matters into your own hands,
starting now.
PRACTITIONERS
JHraßra&|||i I ij|l .Ms
Go to the fair - For free routine
screenings, such as for blood pressure
or blood sugar levels, stop by your
community's next health fair. While the
nurses or technicians there won't diag
nose you, they will often discuss your
symptoms and tell you whether you
need to be concerned. Health fairs are
often sponsored by hospitals, colleg
es, large employers, and government
agencies; check your local papers for
announcements.
Go back to school - If you have a
medical school in your hometown,
chances are it has a low-cost clinic open
to the public. You won't be experiment
ed on, but there is a downside as you’ll
often need to spend lots of time there
as students and teachers discuss your
case.
Consider an alternative - Depending
on your insurance coverage, acupunc
ture, massage therapy, and other alter
native treatments can be less expensive
■■■■■■■■■■I 1
■x.
than —and as effective as —traditional
medical care for some chronic ailments.
Make sure your physician knows of any
alternative treatments you are taking.
Try retail therapy - Some large phar
macies and retail stores, such as CVS,
Eckerd, Target, and Wal-Mart, have
recently opened in-store clinics. Of
ten staffed by nurse practitioners they
don't require an appointment, and the
price—typically $25 to S6O is less than
what a visit to most doctors' offices
would cost you.
Visit a nurse's office - Nurse prac
titioners can frequently offer the same
care as a doctor, at a lower rate. Re
search comparing nurse practitioners
with physicians shows that nurses
tend to spend more time with patients,
charge less, and do just as good a job of
diagnosing problems.
Pick up the telephone - Got that
same old sinus infection again? Your
physician might help you for free by
phone. But if not, try calling TelaDoc
at 800-835-2362. It provides real live
doctors for quick telephone consults.
Cost: $35, plus an $lB registration fee
and a small monthly fee. If the doc
tor feels that your diagnosis is simple I
and obvious, he or she can call in a Jj
prescription to a nearby pharmacy. Jjl
For more information, go to www. mm
teladoc.com. Jl
MEDICATIONS
Comparison-shop - The price
of drugs can vary enormously from one
drugstore to the next. Surfing the Web
for the best prices can save you a bun
dle. For mail-order options, go to www.
pharmacychecker.com to compare pric
es on many common medications sold
by U.S. and Canadian pharmacies. For
info on prescription-assistance pro
grams, discount-drug cards, and dis
count pharmacies, go to the website of
the nonprofit Medicare Rights Center
and click on Discount Rx Resources.
Consumer Reports also has a free web
site that will help you compare drug
options to find what's most efficacious
and economical.
Consider generics or cheaper brands
- For most drugs there is absolutely no
difference in the therapeutic value of
generics and name-brand drugs. Have
a heart-to-heart talk with your doctor,
explaining that you need to economize
THE
on the cost of your pills. Be*
free name-brand samples if
short-term need for a drug,,
tious of them if your need
You'll save more money in
if you take a cheaper generic
just as well.
Pick store brands - What,
for prescription drugs ho*
true for over-the-counter
brands are often made b*
same manufacturer as the
name brands.
Be inventive - SometintJ
can't prescribe a generic be J
is no generic. But, even
f
;Jo'Vr
m I -
then, consider
asking your pharmacist al
alternatives to bring up wi
In the case of the pain drU
for example, the name-br
typically sells for more tha
tablets. Yet it's exactly the
ing two generics dicloferj
prostol —that together cost
per 90 doses.
Ask if it's safe to split.]
lets and pills (but never d
be split, often saving you
amount. For example, if y <
tion is for 10 milligrams of .
you may be able to buy it ir
and then split the pills in ]
beled "time-released" or j
are exceptions; they usualljl
to split. Always check witHj
and never take less than til