Avoid these two common medical cost surprises!

Can you tell by now that I like to save money and make the most out of our health benefits? I absolutely cannot stand when medical costs surprise us, because it blows our budget system away! Here’s how to avoid these two common medical cost surprises! PLUS, I have a great giveaway for you at the end of this post (but only until March 31, 2017). 

Avoid these two common medical cost surprises

What I’m about to say isn’t rocket science, but time and again, people pay more out of pocket because they don’t avoid these common medical cost surprises!

1. Stay in-network! Your health insurance has already created a large partnership of doctors, labs, hospitals, and specialty care centers to work with. Use the places in your plan, because those are the ones covered by your insurance. When you go out-of-network, your insurance is not guaranteed to cover all or ANY of the cost, so you could be hit with a terrific bill in the long run.
2. Check your insurance card for a “referral required” notice. If you have the term “referral” on your insurance card, you are required to get a referral to another doctor or specialist from your PCP. Why? Well, your primary care physician is the one who knows you best, your medical history and your needs. They’ve hopefully worked with you on preventative care measures, and know when you need to move on to a specialist. When you see a specialist without a referral, you’ll end up paying more, similar to going out-of-network, even if the specialist is IN-network

It’s simple really, but so many people don’t follow their health care guidelines and end up paying much more than they need to for medical care!

And the best way to avoid cost surprises? Anticipate costs in advance! You can actually DO this if you’re a UnitedHealthcare member with the very awesome cost estimator tool on myuhc.com! Get personalized estimates, see approximate total costs compared to the average in your area, and find side-by-side quality comparisons to select the best doctor’s office!

Read more about managing your health care costs:

• Are these health care plan mistakes costing you money?
• Prepare for Life’s Unexpected Expenses
• Get the most out of your Health Care Plan

Sponsored by UnitedHealthcare; I received compensation for sharing this message. All opinions are my own. I am not responsible for fulfilling giveaway prizes.