The US is notoriously known for its expensive health-care cost and medical expenses. My mother was sent to the ER a few weeks ago, and it has been an overwhelming experience for me. I found out that she does not have health insurance, which is probably not a very good idea if you live in the US.
Obviously, the main reason is that health insurance in the US is very expensive and I am in the process of researching cheaper health insurance for her.
Figuring this out is sometimes confusing if you are not really poor, or really rich. But it’s even more stressful for those who are just slightly above low income, just like my mom.
If you happen to be in the same shoes, I have some tips that might be helpful to save some cost of healthcare. Enjoy!
Check out free and income-based clinic in your area
You can google “free clinic ” + [your city] or check out freeclinics.com. Some require you to not have health insurance or to be under a certain income range. However, it is worth to check out their review first (if there is any) and give them a call.
You can also mention that you have a high-deductible plan (if you do) and see if you are still qualified.
Personally, I had a great experience with a free clinic located in my city, and the staff seems to really care about my mother. She also got free medicine (they have a pharmacist in there) and a blood test order.
Check out if there are walk-in clinics as well, for instance – in my city, there is a clinic that charges $35 per visit. This is often more affordable than even an income-based clinic.
Check out 98point6
I found this app online and at first, I thought it is a little sketchy, but I did not expect that the service would be great. You can chat with a doctor and send pictures. At the time this post is written, my mom paid $29 for a yearly membership and $1 for each visit.
Things that I really like about this app:
- It is a lot more affordable ($1 for each visit? that’s so affordable! This means, if you want to get a second opinion, you may be able to do that a lot cheaper and quicker as long as you are matched with a different physician)
- I don’t need to make an appointment over the phone, waiting for two weeks, and only to be seen for ~10 minutes by the doctor
- Although the exam is not in person, it seems more thorough (you have to answer in a form and I found the doctors ask more questions). In total, my mom spent ~an hour discussing her health problem.
- You will also get a care plan and transcript (if you are forgettable like me, this is really great). The care plan contains helpful information such as things you can do, what to expect, and informative notes from the doctor.
- You can send pictures over chat with the doctor.
- The app has a great user interface and it is not buggy like other internet medicine apps I use.
- They will be able to order blood tests and prescriptions as well.
- Overall, I feel that I get more bang for my bucks.
However, if you have an emergency or complex situation – I don’t recommend you use this app. For instance, when my mom has a heart palpitation and shortness of breath, the doctor suggested her to go to the ER. This would be a great option for non-urgent situations – e.g. allergy, cold, UTI, skin-related issues, and medication refill.
Use goodRx.com
I found these ads on TV, and I was not sure if it does help people to save money. The way it works is a little complicated, but essentially GoodRx function like an insurance company where they have negotiated a price for people who wants to pay cash with GoodRx coupon as opposed to their insurance. Anyone is eligible for it
Often times, I found the price of my prescription is actually cheaper using GoodRx. After you found a pharmacy close by, I’d give them a call first and make sure that they accept the GoodRx coupon and confirm the price just to be sure.
Call the doctor/hospitals and negotiate the bills and/or ask them if they have a charitable program
My fiancee, Josh, was also sent to the ER several years ago and he owed ~$1500. He could not afford it and called the doctor. They reduced the bill to $150 and he settled for a lower amount.
It is worth a shot to find out if they have a financial assistance program. Since my mom just sent it to the ER without insurance, I just filled the paperwork for a charitable program offered by the hospital. I have not heard anything back yet – but finger cross!
Do (lots of) research before deciding to undergo a procedure/operation
This may sound obvious, but I learned this a hard way. A dentist that I really trusted recommended to have a crown put on. Long story short, the crown was too big and it caused me lots of stress to deal with the uncertainty for a week before seeing the doctor again.
Not only that, but the claim was also rejected because it is considered unnecessary. Anyway, the lesson I learned is I should have done my due diligence (I just did a little here and there), before having a medical procedure done. Had I known the risks, I would most likely have not done it and just stick with my tooth filling.
Simple “[procedure name] risks Reddit” can probably save you tons of headaches!
Find generic options for prescription
Generic drugs contain the same medication, strength, and dosage form as brand-name drugs. Often times, they are cheaper. For instance, my mom has GERD and I requested the doctor to provide the generic options which are ~75% cheaper.
Mention this during the appointment with your doctor, or call them to speak with the doctor after a visit. It is also worth checking with the pharmacist if they have a generic version of the prescription.
Telemedicine services
This is also a great option if you don’t have an urgent situation. Often times, the cost of a checkup is more affordable than an in-person visit. It is also more convenient for me since I don’t have to make a trip to the doctor. Here are a few options:
I used Amwell.com when I had an allergy and other services, and it has been a good experience.
Don’t go to the emergency room if your condition is not life-threatening
There are other alternatives such as urgent care and retail health clinics such as CVS Minute Clinics or Rite Aid RedClinics. Things such as persistent cough or broken bones may be better treated in urgent care at a much lower cost.
Ask whether tests are really necessary.
U.S. Healthcare practices defensive medicines. The hospitals and physicians have interests in preventing lawsuit, thus “just in case” tests might be ordered.
This test can be very costly! I spent $400 (all my savings in my HSA) to just pay for a CT Scan for my jaw and although, after seeing the test result, my dentist is still not 100% sure with his treatment suggestion. So, check with the doctor if it is really necessary, research deeply about the test and you can always get a second opinion from a different doctor.
Christian Healthcare sharing ministry
I heard excellent reviews on This is something that I am planning to research furthermore for my mom. It is a medical cost-sharing ministry of Christians helping Christians pay their medical bill. I heard good reviews on this and Reddit as well. Stay tuned and I’ll keep this post updated about this 😊
(Update 11/15/20) After speaking to the customer service, I decided to enroll my mom with the Christian healthcare sharing ministry. My first impression of their customer service is they are a lot nicer than the typical customer service in the health insurance companies I dealt with.
My mom has a pre-existing condition and as long as she has enrolled for more than 3 months and in the maintenance regiment treatment, she will still be eligible for $15,000 maximum in the first year, 25k in the second year, and 50k in the third year.
I found a coupon on Dave Ramsey site (RAMSEY) and my mom got her first month free. I’ll keep you updated if there are any procedures that need to be done (I hope we never need it!).
Vi, a software engineer with a keen interest in personal finance, had planned to retire once she reached her lean FI/RE (Financial Independence/Retire Early) goal. However, after achieving the goal, she took few months of a mini-retirement filled with travel and adventure and decided to continue her career.
For the past five years, Vi has been using Personal Capital (Empower), a free financial tool. Her favorite features include the dashboard for net worth, allocation, and planning, which help track her FI/RE goal and keep those investment fees in check.