Saturday, January 18, 2020

Five Tips To Save Money On Your Health Care

By Coleen Elkins

RV Insurance Benefits (Medicare 4 Texas, LLC) strives to educate our clients to be smart with their medical spending.

We are an advocate for health care cost transparency and members of Free Market Medical Association .

Our goal is for you to be able to walk in to a doctors office or urgent care and see the cost of your visit plainly posted in a prominent location.

You should never have to leave a health care providers office without knowing what you owe.

One of our health insurance agents took this photo on a wall of an urgent care facility in Pensacola Florida on January 18, 2020.


Kudos to Baptist Urgent Care!

We are a full service health insurance agency and firmly believe our clients should be able to choose their health insurance based on their personal needs. This is why we offer Affordable Care Act Plans, PPO Indemnity Plans and Short Term Plans.

Think about this; you know the cost of your food before you order it at a restaurant, you know the sticker price of your car before your purchase and most of the time you end up paying less for that car don't you? 

Why do we seek medical services and walk in with an insurance card in our pocket guaranteeing payment and leave without knowing what our bill is going to be? 

Here are some tips to help you keep more of your money and insure your health with "peace of mind"

1. Don't purchase more health insurance than you need. If you are beyond childbearing age you don't need maternity coverage. It is wonderful that Affordable Care Act plans cover unlimited addiction treatment but not all people need those services. According to Addiction.com "Some inpatient rehabs may cost around $6,000 for a 30-day program. Well-known centers often cost up to $20,000 for a 30-day program. For those requiring 60- or 90-day programs, the total average of costs could range anywhere from $12,000 to $60,000." Those benefits are built into the premium of an affordable care act plan.

2. Learn to ask questions when you are making an appointment for Medical Services one great question is how much is the cost of a cash pay visit? Often the cost will be 50% less than if you use your insurance card. Pay your bill and submit your claim it is that easy. 

3. Research costs of services prior to seeking them. If the doctor orders an imaging exam such as a CT Scan or MRI you do not have to go where your healthcare provider recommended you have options.

You can check prices in your area by using Health Care Blue Book

4. If you would like to see price transparency and affordable health care be proactive tell your local government legislatures at the state and federal level. Take 10 minutes of your time and write them an email or call their office. You can find them here

5. Health insurance and Medicare are not a "one size fits all" you do not have to go it alone. Seeking the services of a knowledgable health insurance agent are at no cost to you. Your agent is paid by the health insurance companies they represent to be your customer care advocate not just a "sales person". Use an agent that focuses on educating you and works to help you save money and promised to be there for you once your policy is in place! 

Finally if you learned something here share this blog with your friends and special interest groups! 

Thank you for taking the time to become more healthcare savvy! 

Coleen Elkins, General Agent 
Medicare 4 Texas, LLC
RV Insurance Benefits 

2 comments:

  1. I wish more health care providers published their rate schedule like the picture you put in this post. I will see what I can do by nagging my elected officials. :-)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Hans! Together we can make a difference!

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