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For anyone surviving without health insurance, it’s a constant worry about the cost of paying on your own. Health care costs keep increasing and there is no sign of it stopping. There are ways to take care of yourself without killing your budget.
So what can you do?
You could stick your head in the sand (do ostriches’ get sick?). But that isn’t likely to help. Here are the things that I have done and you wouldn’t believe the amount the money that you can save.
Blood pressure
Knowing your numbers are where they should be is all that the doctor is really doing at an annual checkup.
Do your blood pressure at a drugstore or some grocery stores. Most anywhere that has a pharmacy. Doing it here instead of the doctor’s office should help with it being artificially high due to being the doctor’s office.
If you are between 90-120 over 60-80 you are within the normal range. If you are outside of the normal range then you would want to seek professional help.
Bloodwork
Did you know that you can get your annual bloodwork done without going to the doctor? Sorry, but this does vary by states. There are some states that force you to go to the doctor for this. Fucking politicians.
For those of you that can order your own bloodwork, you have many options. There are all kinds of tests that you can choose from. You could get basic tests like liver and kidney numbers. There are more specialized tests thyroid tests. Also tests for cancer. These are not saying you have cancer just a marker for it.
As for the bloodwork if you have anything that is out of range you can then go to the doctor with the results and that will help them do more for you faster.
I personally love Walkinlab.com and Lifeextension.com
Dentist
Ask for a discount
Without dental insurance costs really add up. Letting them know that you don’t have insurance is the first step. They will likely give discounts if you talk with them. It usually ranges from 5-20% if you pay with cash up front. Also if you need more work they will give you an estimate and work out a payment plan.
X-rays
They don’t need to be done every time. This really adds to the costs of a cleaning. See about once a year or every other year. If you don’t get a lot of cavities you can push the x-rays off a little more.
Dental schools
The students need to practice on someone. If you are feeling brave this could be a great option for you. Check the website of the Commission on Dental Accreditation for dental schools in your area.
Take care of them
Your teeth will hold up well if you brush and floss them. Of course, some people genetically have worse teeth. I know I brush and floss twice a day and still get cavities, but do what you can to push off needing any work that costs big bucks.
Free services
Check for clinics in your area that are doing free dental services. These types of clinics seem to be happening more and more. You should be able to find one in your area.
Medical tests
If you need an ultrasound, a mammogram or something like that you could order them online for a discount. This is similar to ordering your own blood work, but you will, unfortunately, need a doctor to write up the order for the test, but the discounts are still worth it.
MDsave.com has an example of a colonoscopy where the national average would cost $4,440. Their prices range from $1,198-$2,923.
Even if you do have insurance, you will likely pay more than paying this way. This is because when they know you have insurance they charge more. If the insurance doesn’t pick up everything, your portion could be more. Be sure to check what the price is with and without the insurance to be sure you don’t overpay.
If you want to compare prices get the App Healthcare Bluebook. You can compare prices in your area based on your zip code and the test, procedure or service that you need.
Eyes
Taking care of your eyes is extremely important. It also doesn’t need to cost you an arm and a leg. There are ways to pay less for exams, glasses, and contacts.
Exams
Look for places that are offering a cheap exam. It could be a coupon or may be an offer for first-time customers. Also always ask for any discounts for people without insurance.
This is another health concern that many free clinics will check. Look for a free clinic near you. Also if you have an America’s Best near you, you could join their eyecare club. There is an upfront cost, but they allow for 2 free exams a year over the 3 years of membership. This results in huge savings.
Glasses
The price of glasses is absolutely ridiculous. Especially if you have a strong prescription and you don’t want coke bottles. The way around this is to get your prescription written for you and then you buy them online.
There are a few places that are cheap. Not all online places for glasses are cheap. Places like Zenni Optical, 39 Dollar Glasses, Eye Buy Direct, Discount Glasses, Coastal, and Marvel Optics are good choices.
These places have low prices on frames, lenses, and lens upgrades. There are often sales. Black Friday and Cyber Monday have deals as good as 50% off. Plus at 39 Dollar Glasses, they have a program to earn money on your purchase for the next one.
The bonus is that with so many places you can find frames that fit your style.
Contacts
America’s Best gives discounts with the eye club membership which makes them reasonable. Also just like the glasses, when you get your exam you can ask for the prescription and order them from anywhere. 1800Contacts is another great option.
Medication
The cost of medicine is skyrocketing. But depending on what you are taking there may be an opportunity to reduce the cost.
1 Ask if the doctor can give you samples.
2 See if there is a patient assistance program or manufacturer’s coupon that will give free or reduced cost medication. Save On My Meds and Needy Meds have patient assistant programs.
3 You can get a prescription from Costco and Sam’s Club without a membership. Also immunizations like for the flu.
4 If you can buy in a larger quantity to get a discount.
5 Buy generic if possible or if there is an over-the-counter alternative.
6 Shop around for the best price. Use sites like GoodRx, Blink Health, or Save On My Meds.
Whatever your health concerns are, the one thing you have to do is stay on top of these things. If you let your teeth cleaning go then you are more likely to get a cavity, which if left untreated will lead to needing a tooth removed or a root canal. All of which a much more costly than just getting the cleaning. Make your health a priority and get help if you need it.
