Tuesday, March 3, 2009

How To Save On Health Care When There Is An Economy Crisis

By Alexandra Vrugt

Despite the economy crisis that many are experiencing today, there are ways for your family to save on health care. It's not as difficult as it may seem. Your family can have their health care needs met at a lower cost just by employing some of the same cost saving strategies that you currently use for managing your household's budget. Here are some ways to make health care more affordable for your family:

Taking advantage of referral bonuses! Many practitioners offer referral bonuses or reduced pricing on health care services when their clients bring in new business. It makes sense for everyone involved. You get a discount, the doctor gets the business, and the person that you are referring gets to have peace of mind knowing that their health care professional has been proven to be good.

Buy generic drugs. There is plenty of scientific evidence that shows that the "name brand" drugs are no more effective than the generics. Actually, the generics you can buy for cheap and still have a few dollars left for other medical expenses. But, if you pay for the name brands, you can expect to pay an arm and a leg. Doesn't $1 or $2 sound better for a 30-day supply than an over-budget price of $200 for the same thing?

Watching for eyeglasses deals! You will see them throughout the year, but especially around back to school time. These eyeglasses deals usually can range from as high as discounts of 50-75% to actually free specs for certain family members. Additionally, there are always loads of coupons in the Sunday newspaper that can be used for reduced pricing or buy-one-get-one deals on glasses. If your family is low to moderate income, check your child's school or the local hospital which usually knows or offers children free eyeglasses to ensure that they are able to perform properly in school.

Grab those gift cards! Many drug stores offer actual money or store gift cards when you transfer your prescription to them. Unless you are in a deep relationship with the pharmacist, you could get lots of cash and gifts just by switching stores! For many people, this is a no-brainer and they do it every time they get a new prescription.

Always use coupons! In each Sunday paper and online, you can find coupons for everything from allergy medicine to dental or medical services. Consider them free money and reap the benefits of these fabulous savings tools.

When it comes to saving, cost conscious customers can get the discounts every time with a little research and effort. Even in an economy crisis, you and your family can be well taken care of and can have all of your health care needs met on the cheap! - 15255

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