7 Sites to Help You Cut Health Costs
Explore your coverage options, get help with insurance claims and save money on medication with these online resources.
If you need help finding affordable health coverage, getting claims paid by your current insurer or lowering your prescription-drug costs, there are several resources online. Take a look at these seven sites:
EHealthInsurance.com will help you find the most-affordable health coverage available in your area. You'll get a list of plans in your area, their monthly premiums, deductibles and co-pay and co-insurance amounts. You can search for plans that include your doctors in their provider networks.
HealthCare.gov is a federal government Web site that helps you explore private insurance plans, public programs and community services available in your area to find out which will best suit your needs. See Click Your Way to Better Health for more information.
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MedClaims Liason helps members receive reimbursement from their health insurers, get the most out of their plans and negotiates reductions of medical bills. It's good for people with high medical expenses and those who see out-of-network doctors. You can sign up for a free trial, then pay 33% of the reimbursement you receive. If you're satisfied with the service, you can become a member on a pay-as-you-go ($625 for a five-hour block) or annual ($500 plus 10% to 15% of reimbursements) basis.
DentalPlans.com is a good resource for people who don't receive dental benefits through work and want to compare insurance plans available in their area. It provides an easy-to-read table that shows the premiums for each plan, which dentists participate in the plan and what you'd pay out-of-pocket for various procedures, such as routine check-ups, X-rays and fillings.
Drugstore.com offers discounts of up to 70% on generic drugs and up to 30% on prescription drugs. For example, a 90-day supply of cholesterol drug Lipitor from Drugstore.com cost 20% less than the average retail price. Shipping is free on orders more than $25.
DestinationRx.com shows generic equivalents and therapeutic alternatives to your prescription drugs and how much you can save through mail order or pill splitting.
Partnership for Prescription Assistance. This group, sponsored by pharmaceutical research companies, helps uninsured and financially struggling people get free -- or nearly free -- medicine. It offers access to more than 475 public and private prescription-assistance programs, including nearly 200 offered by pharmaceutical companies.
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Award-winning journalist, speaker, family finance expert, and author of Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk.
Cameron Huddleston wrote the daily "Kip Tips" column for Kiplinger.com. She joined Kiplinger in 2001 after graduating from American University with an MA in economic journalism.
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