Health Blog
Topic: Health Planning
How to negotiate lower costs for out-of-network care
While seeking care within your health insurer’s provider network costs less, there are situations when you may decide to seek care outside of the network. For example, if you’re diagnosed with a serious, rare, or complex condition, the physicians and hospitals that have the most experience treating your condition and the best outcomes may not... Read More
Facing large medical bills? How to ask for a payment plan
There are many reasons you could end up with large medical bills that strain your budget. If you have a high deductible health plan, you could be required to pay several thousand dollars out of pocket before your health insurance starts to cover the cost of your care. If you go outside your health plan’s... Read More
High Medical Bills: How to Negotiate a Lower Cost
If you’re having trouble paying high medical bills or are faced with unexpected medical costs, you may want to consider negotiating with your healthcare providers to reduce the amount you owe. High medical bills and medical debt are problems a growing number of Americans of all ages are facing. According to data collected by the... Read More
Strategies to help you avoid surprise high medical bills
If you’ve ever received an unexpected high medical bill you’re not alone. Maybe your primary care doctor or a specialist referred you for diagnostic tests or imaging and you assumed that since your doctor was in your insurance network, he or she would refer you to an in-network facility, which is often not the case.... Read More
What to consider when you’re looking for a new doctor
There are many reasons you may need to find a new doctor. Your doctor may be retiring. Your health insurance may have changed and you’ve got a new provider network. You moved. Or you may not feel you and your doctor are a good fit. So where should you start and what questions should you... Read More
How to make sure your care is coordinated when you see more than one doctor
Even if you’re the picture of health, you may see more than one doctor—a primary care physician, a gynecologist if you’re a woman, an occasional urgent care healthcare professional. And if you’re living with a chronic condition like heart disease or diabetes or have been diagnosed with a serious illness like cancer, the number of... Read More
Can hospital pricing transparency help you make smarter healthcare decisions?
There’s a new rule that requires hospitals to list the price for all the services they provide and medications they prescribe for patients in the hospital. In theory, this should give you more information that can help you figure out what your care will cost and where it makes the most economic sense to receive... Read More
Five times you should review and update your healthcare directive
If you have an advanced healthcare directive that outlines what types of medical care you do and do not wish to receive and who should make medical decisions for you if you cannot make them for yourself, then you’re better prepared than nearly 2/3 of Americans. But getting your wishes down on paper in the... Read More
Do you know how to get the most out of your health insurance plan?
Understanding how your health insurance plan works and what benefits and additional services are included as part of the plan can help you get the care you need and save money. The first step to getting the most out of your health insurance is to choose the plan that fits your needs best. Picking a... Read More
Travel health: How to find quality care abroad
When people who travel around the world for work were polled about their top travel health concerns, 35% of those surveyed said the most serious health threat facing travelers is not being able to access quality care if you fall ill or get injured. Taking steps to prepare for a health emergency while traveling abroad... Read More