| "Consumer driven healthcare" is the name
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| | because of a possible ear infection. For
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| that has been given to the change that is
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| | about $50 you can buy an EarCheck Middle
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| currently happening in the medical
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| | Ear Monitor. This uses sonar to test for
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| marketplace. As millions of people get
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| | fluid behind the eardrum, which may
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| Health Savings Accounts, medical
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| | indicate an infection. "The QuickVue
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| providers are having to adapt to the new
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| | Strep Test" which costs less than $4 per
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| reality of people spending their own
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| | test in a pack of 25, can quickly help
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| money when purchasing healthcare. As more
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| | you determine if your child has a strep
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| companies compete for your business, the
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| | infection, which would require a doctor's
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| opportunities to save money will continue
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| | visit, from a common viral infection,
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| to grow.
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| | which would not.
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| Since the advent of employer-sponsored
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| | Demand Price Transparency
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| health insurance during World War II, the
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| | Health Savings Accounts reward personal
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| pricing and quality of medical services
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| | responsibility in three ways: 1) they
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| has been shrouded in mystery. As the real
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| | reward you with tax-breaks for putting
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| price for computers, organic food,
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| | money aside to cover future medical
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| big-screen TV's, and just about
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| | expenses; 2) they reward you for taking
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| everything else has continued to drop
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| | care of your health by enabling you to
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| (including health services where there is
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| | grow your account; and 3) they reward you
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| not a third party payer, such as laser
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| | for being a cost-conscious and discerning
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| eye surgery, contact lenses, over the
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| | consumer.
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| counter medication), the price of
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| | So be a discerning consumer, and spend
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| healthcare has continued to rise. But
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| | your money wisely. Remember that the
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| that is finally beginning to change. And
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| | doctors and healthcare providers you see
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| you, fellow HSA-owners, are the reason.
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| | work for you. If you don't get the
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| To gain a competitive advantage,
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| | quality of service or a fair price, take
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| healthcare providers have traditionally
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| | your business elsewhere. Here are some
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| attempted to grow local market share in
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| | common sense suggestions to make sure you
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| an attempt to extract higher payments
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| | do get a good price:
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| from insurance companies. But since
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| | 1. Ask how much it will cost, before you
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| Health Savings Account owners have the
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| | buy. There is nothing else that you buy
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| ability to accumulate unspent funds and
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| | without knowing the price up front, so
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| invest them tax-free, those of us with a
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| | don't feel intimidated to ask your doctor
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| Health Savings Account have a strong
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| | the same.
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| incentive to avoid unnecessary care, and
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| | 2. Review your bill before paying it. You
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| to be more cost conscious when we seek
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| | might be shocked how often extra charges
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| treatment.
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| | are "accidentally" tacked on to hospital
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| There are now billions of dollars in
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| | bills.
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| Health Savings Accounts, and healthcare
| |
| | 3. Ask for a cash discount. To avoid the
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| providers want access to that money. And
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| | hassles of filing for insurance and
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| since you control it (instead of the
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| | trying to collect past-due charges, most
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| insurance company), the only way for the
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| | physicians will gladly offer a cash
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| provider or retailer to get that money is
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| | discount if you ask.
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| to offer you high quality care at a price
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| | 4. Explain that you will be paying out of
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| you are willing to pay. And dozens of
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| | your own pocket. When a doctor is
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| companies are doing just that.
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| | prescribing tests or writing
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| The Market Responds
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| | prescriptions, he or she is rarely taking
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| One obvious response to the
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| | cost into consideration. The American
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| consumer-driven healthcare movement is
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| | Journal of Preventive Medicine recently
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| the proliferation of quick-service
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| | reported that up to $63 billion in
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| medical clinics. These clinics, which
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| | medically unnecessary tests are ordered
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| require no appointment and typically
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| | every year.
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| charge less than $50, offer a low-cost
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| | 5. Vow never to pay list fees. Doctors
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| way to diagnose and treat strep throat,
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| | and hospitals routinely discount their
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| bronchitis, pink eye, and other common
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| | services to insurance companies and PPO
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| ailments. MinuteClinic operates dozens of
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| | organizations. As a cash-paying customer,
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| locations in Target, Cub Foods, and CVS
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| | you should get the best price available.
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| Pharmacy stores. Wal-mart, which
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| | For many years, a small group of health
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| currently has 75 in-store clinics in 12
| |
| | economists and other policy-makers pushed
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| states, is forecasting more than 6,600
| |
| | for a more market-based approach to
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| in-store medical clinics will be open in
| |
| | healthcare. They correctly argued that
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| retail stores within 5 years.
| |
| | healthcare was like any other market and
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| Diagnostic labs, which have traditionally
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| | that if you put a true price on health
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| sold their services to physician's
| |
| | care services and let the market
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| offices, are now offering tests directly
| |
| | function, costs could be controlled. We
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| to the public at prices often 70% less
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| | are now beginning to see this happen.
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| than you would pay at a doctor's office.
| |
| | Our healthcare system is the best in the
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| With most you can order the test online,
| |
| | world. It is a dynamic and complex work
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| go give blood, and get your results in a
| |
| | in progress, which can only get better as
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| couple days.
| |
| | the consumer gets involved. So be savvy
|
| Companies are even providing self-testing
| |
| | about how you spend your healthcare
|
| services and devices which can enable you
| |
| | dollar. And watch those unspent funds in
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| to avoid going to the doctor when minor
| |
| | your Health Savings Account continue to
|
| medical events occur. One of the most
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| | grow.
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| common reasons kids see a doctor is
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| |
|
