We live in the age of Obamacare. Everyone should have affordable health care now, right? Okay, not yet. A few million families still cannot afford health care even with the Affordable Care Act. Thank Congress for passing a law that doesn’t solve the problem for everyone. But what about the millions of families that get health insurance through ACA? And what about the millions of families that pay for their own health insurance? They get all all the care they need, right? No? Okay, so we still need to cover all those deductibles and co-pays. American health care is the worst in the world because it is so inefficient. What began as a way to make job opportunities more competitive in a tight labor market has evolved into a national nightmare. An expensive national nightmare. So let’s talk about ways to save money on health care.
I’ll start with the lowest income Americans. They are the people most likely to need better health care than they get. I think you should begin your research with Websites like Low Income Aid, which offer free advice and tips on health care. That’s a great site because it’s not selling anything. You don’t have to sign up for their newsletters or buy insurance. They just publish cool tips. Their number 1 tip for anyone with health problems is to reduce the stress in your life. You might think that’s crazy but they lay out the science. Stress weakens your immune system and that in turns makes it more likely you’ll get sick. There are many ways we add stress to our life, so anyone can take responsibility and reduce that stress.
You’ll find other tips on the site as well. I highly recommend it for anyone who isn’t wealthy. It’s not just a sight for “poor people”. The economy may be “booming” but millions of people are still barely scraping by. If you’re cutting back on health care because you can’t afford the co-pays, don’t give up.
Here’s another great site: it’s called List Buglar. They have an article about 5 social activities that are great for your health. We all need exercise but people don’t like going to the gym. Worse yet, a lot of families cannot afford gym memberships. So why waste money you can’t afford to spend on a membership you won’t use? The List Buglar article suggests you do the kinds of things you’ve always wanted to do. With regular practice (at least once or twice a week) activities like dancing, biking, hiking, singing, and even doing volunteer work help improve your health. And they are great for your social life, too.
The idea behind using social activities to improve your health is that any physical activity is better than sitting at home watching TV or browsing the Internet. Get out and do something simple, inexpensive, and health a few times a week. Just walking through a city park is good for your health.
The Government Suggests Ways to Save on Health Costs
If you’re looking for “real money tips” on ways to save health care, check out this article on Medline Plus. This is a government Website. They suggest ways you can:
- Save money on medicine
- Use all the benefits you’re entitled to
- Plan ahead for urgent and emergency care
- Change health providers
- Choose a better health care plan
If some of their suggestions don’t help you, don’t panic. I still have a few more ideas on ways to save on health care.
Inexpensive Ways to Save on Health Care
First and foremost, do you get flu shots every year? If not, you should do that. A lot of pharmacies now offer low-cost flu shots. You don’t have to schedule an appointment and the shots don’t cost a lot of money. It’s often cheaper than seeing your doctor.
The Centers for Disease Control have a page where you can search for a place near you to get a flu shot. But here are some of the major pharmacies where I have seen flu shots advertised:
- CVS
- Kroger
- Rite Aid
- Walgreens
Some of these pharmacies also offer walk-in clinics where you can see a nurse practitioner for common ailments and get prescriptions. There may be wait times so call ahead and ask when the best hours to come in are. Walk-in clinics are usually less expensive than Urgent Care centers.
Use an Urgent Care center for non-life threatening emergencies and use a walk-in clinic for non-urgent care.
If you need antibiotics, ask to have a prescription sent to a local pharmacy that offers free antibiotics. You’re probably talking about a standard generic antibiotic like amoxicillin. Your doctor or nurse practitioner may know if any pharmacies in your area offer discounts or free antibiotics.
The Best Way to Save Is To Stay Healthy
Giving up smoking may be hard but it’s a sure way to improve your health. The same is true for giving up recreational drugs and alcohol. But there are other ways to stay healthy.
You should practice good hygiene, washing your hands after taking a bathroom break, before you prepare meals, and before you serve or eat meals. And use bacteria-killing cleansers in your kitchens and bathrooms.
But did you know some other common household products also contribute to your health? Take Febreze, for example. A lot of Febreze products use alcohol. Alcohol kills bacteria and viruses. There is also a Febreze anti-allergen odor killer. Use that on your carpets and upholstered furniture to reduce your coughing and sneezing.
If you live in a moist environment then placing Damp-rid in your bathrooms and kitchen can reduce mildew. One year I stayed in a long-term hotel and used Damp-rid to get rid of a nasty musty odor in the suite’s bathroom. That made my stay more pleasant.
Living in a clean environment is a great way to stay healthy. Healthy people don’t need as much health care as everyone else. And the less health care you need the less money you spend on it. In turn, that reduces the stress in your life.
Dollar Magus 