Medical care can be expensive. It can be costly if you have an adventurous child who seems to get into trouble regularly or a child with an existing condition that requires regular therapy or medication.
The solution isn’t to reduce the medical care that your child receives. Instead, there are multiple ways you can save a little bit of money here and there that can add up over time:
7 Tips to Pay Less on Medical Care for Your Child
- Consider other policies you may already have
- Sign up for an HSA
- Schedule annual appointments
- Make an emergency care plan
- Rethink medications
- Ask for a cost estimate
- Don’t be afraid to negotiate big bills
Consider Other Policies You May Already Have
It makes sense that you would submit any medical care to your health insurance, but that may not end up being the best idea. There may be another policy you can utilize that will help you save money.
For example, if your child is recovering after a car accident, you may want to take a closer look at your car insurance. You may have medical payments coverage. When you submit claims to your medical payments policy instead of your primary medical insurance provider, they can cover payments that traditional insurance cannot. For example, a med pay policy can help you cover co-pays and other out-of-pocket expenses that you would have to pay for if you submitted to your regular insurance.
Your medical insurance may help cover some dental costs, so it’s always worth doing a little bit of research. An HSA or FSA might be available to you as well.
Sign Up for an HSA
You may want to consider signing up for another health insurance policy, especially if that policy is an HSA. A Health Savings Account, or HSA, can help families with many medical costs throughout the year, and they are beneficial for families with a high-deductible health plan.
An HSA enables you to contribute funds to an account used at the doctor’s office. The money you contribute is not subject to federal income tax at the time of deposit. The more you spend from your account, the more you’ll save because you’re not being taxed on what you spend.
Schedule Annual Appointments
There is some debate over whether or not annual appointments are necessary for healthy adults. Still, whether your child is considered healthy or not, it’s a good idea to make sure you schedule annual appointments for them.
Your doctor can ensure your child maintains their vaccination schedule, keeping them protected from a variety of diseases, in addition to making sure they have the proper vaccinations to go to school. They can provide you with reports you can provide to childcare providers. Because they know the mechanics of a child’s growing body, they can identify potential problems before you even notice, ensuring your child gets care as soon as possible.
Make an Emergency Care Plan
Do you know where to take your child in the event of an emergency? If you panic and take your child to the wrong place, you could find out that your medical bills are much higher than if you took them somewhere else.
A few tips for creating an emergency care plan includes:
- Have your pediatrician’s number handy so you can call and ask questions before you take your child to the urgent care or the ER.
- In the majority of cases, it’s a better idea to go to your local urgent care than the emergency room.
- Know the location and hours of the urgent care you want to use if your child gets sick.
- Know which hospital is in-network for extreme emergencies.
Rethink Medications
The cost of medication can add up. If your child takes medication regularly, you may have the opportunity to find ways to save.
Talk to your child’s doctor about medications that they can switch to generic or a different brand, or if there’s an over-the-counter medication that they can take instead.
Talk to your pharmacist too. They may be able to recommend an alternative, but they may also be able to help you save on the type of medication your child takes. For example, the price of pills, liquids, and injections can vary. You may also be able to pay less for a larger pill that your pharmacist can divide for you. You can also get medicines for much lower prices from Canada: https://www.90daymeds.com/.
Ask for a Cost Estimate
Most people go to the doctor and deal with the bill whenever it arrives, even though you can ask for a cost estimate!
Before any procedure outside the realm of regular care, ask the doctor’s office for a cost estimate. When you know how much it’s going to cost, you can talk about more affordable alternatives.
A cost estimate enables you to shop around too! Ask another doctor in the area what comparable care would cost, and you may find a healthcare provider for your child that offers more affordable prices on the care they require.
Don’t Be Afraid to Negotiate Big Bills
Regardless of whether or not you receive an estimate before care, you can always negotiate big bills after the fact. It never hurts to ask your doctor’s office if they can give you a discount.
You still have a few options if negotiating bills isn’t a possibility. Look over your bill and make sure you were correctly charged, as billing errors aren’t all that uncommon. If you can’t pay your bill all at once, you can speak with your doctor’s office about a payment plan so you don’t have to pay interest by using your credit card.
Tips to Pay Less on Medical Care for Your Child
Whether your child has a condition that requires regular medical care or not, healthcare can be expensive! Unfortunately, medical care in the United States is going to cost more money than it would elsewhere, but there are things you can do to keep costs down so your child can keep seeing their doctor.
