The average American family spends roughly $5,000 a year on each person’s healthcare. Between premiums, copays, and prescription costs, a family of four might spend as much as $20,000 in a year.
Healthcare costs have practically doubled over the past 30 years. While employer-based insurance is often more affordable, you’re still looking at thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs.
Given the high cost, you might wonder if there’s a way to make family healthcare more affordable.
Luckily, there are some cost-saving strategies you can use. Read on to learn how to find affordable healthcare, save money, and still get the health services your family needs.
1. Schedule Routine Wellness Visits
A great way to save money on healthcare is to schedule wellness visits. That includes things like yearly physicals, gynecological exams, colonoscopies, and mammograms.
Most insurance policies are required to cover wellness appointments and screenings, so you won’t have to cover any out-of-pocket costs.
These routine appointments can help you track your overall health. Your doctor can also catch minor issues like elevated blood pressure and start a treatment plan. When you catch issues early, it will save you money in the long run.
2. Choose In-Network Healthcare Providers
Your health insurance company covers the services of a network of medical providers. While they may cover medical care you get out-of-network, you’ll get the best coverage and save the most money if you stay in-network.
Look online, check your health insurance policy paperwork, or call your insurance company to get a list of providers. Choose from these providers when you’re picking a primary care doctor or a pediatrician.
3. Attend Community Health Events
Area hospitals, clinics, and community wellness centers often host health events showcasing different services. Plus, they’re usually free or very low cost for those with insurance.
Some health events include general health screenings to check blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. Clinics might also offer free flu shots or free screenings for skin or breast cancer.
If you participate in community events, you can get preventative care at low or no cost.
4. Open a Health Care Spending Account
If you have insurance through an employer, see if they offer a Health Care Spending Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA). These special savings accounts allow you to put pre-tax money in an account that you can use to pay your healthcare bills.
This can give you some room in your budget and it can end up saving you a few hundred dollars each year.
5. Live a Healthy Lifestyle
Protecting you and your family’s overall health can also save money. Eating healthy foods and getting regular exercise will make you feel better and can lower your risk of disease.
You should also practice good dental hygiene. That means brushing twice a day, flossing, and getting a dental cleaning at least once a year.
6 . Consider Telehealth
More and more health systems are offering patients the opportunity to opt for virtual health appointments. This won’t be suitable in all cases, but where appropriate, this can be a great way to save time, and avoid the cost of traveling to the doctor’s office
In addition, for a number of specialized treatments, innovative companies are offering a cheaper treatment alternatives using tele-health technology. A great example is so-called “at-home” aligners: instead of going to the dentist and paying $5,000 for Invisalign, you can order aligners online from a company like SmileDirectClub for under $2,000, without ever stepping foot in a dental office.
Save Money and Get the Family Healthcare You Need
Family healthcare can get expensive. Luckily, going to wellness visits, choosing in-network providers, and going to health events can help. A health savings account and living a healthy lifestyle can also save money.
For more tips on managing your health, keep scrolling through our blog.
