Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Medical Bargaineering: 7 Tips to Save Money on Medical Expenses - Bargaineering

Medical Bargaineering: 7 Tips to Save Money on Medical Expenses - Bargaineering

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Medical Bargaineering: 7 Tips to Save Money on Medical Expenses

Posted: 14 Sep 2010 09:10 AM PDT

This is a guest post written by Cynthia J. Koelker, MD, author of 101 Ways to Save Money on Health Care, Tips to Help You Spent Smart and Stay Healthy.

If you think your employer is paying for your health care, think again. You're the one not receiving up to $10,000 per year so your employer can pay your monthly premiums. And the situation will only get worse, with higher deductibles, co-pays, employee contributions, prescription costs, etc. What will you do to stretch your health care dollar?

As a family physician I witness these problems every day. Patients worry about the cost of drugs, office visits, lab texts, X-rays, and hospitalizations. Every physician knows ways to decrease costs, but what doctor has time to explain, when we're expected to see a patient every 10 minutes?

It's much easier – and faster – to spend money than to think of ways to save. But if your doctor had time to discuss the situation with you, here are a few of the tips he or she would share:

  1. Do you want the most affordable drug the first time? Bring your formulary to every doctor visit. A formulary is a list of drugs your insurance covers. No way can your doctor know what's on every formulary. If the information is not readily available, he'll just have to guess.
  2. Do you want to avoid expensive testing? It's much quicker for a doctor to order an X-ray or blood work than to explain what to watch for, and whether it's safe to wait a few days. Although longer visits with your doctor cost more than shorter visits, another fifty bucks of discussion time may save you $500 on testing.
  3. Wondering if you even need to see a doctor in the first place? Doctors love acute illnesses. They're so much easier to treat than chronic conditions. So easy, in fact, that often you could treat yourself at home with a little know-how. Don't call to schedule a visit. Call to ask if you need to schedule a visit. Many problems resolve on their own within a few days. Although this deprives a doctor of "easy income," it's money in your pocket you could use for groceries.
  4. Should you spend $2000 on colon cancer screening? That's how much a colonoscopy will run you. But for 1/100 of that amount you can do a test looking for blood in your stool. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force states both are equally effective.
  5. Is an annual mammogram necessary? Recent analysis suggests that for women age 50-74, every two years is sufficient. And unless you're at high risk, the benefit of a mammogram at an earlier age (less than 50) is so low that you needn't bother.
  6. Do you qualify for a hospital discount? Many hospitals offer discounts for income levels up to 4 times the Federal Poverty Guidelines. That's $88,200 for a family of 4. At an income of $44,100 a similar family may quality for a 100% discount on hospital fees. This usually includes both inpatient and outpatient treatment.
  7. Would you like to go to Hawaii? Quit smoking. $5 a day amounts to $1500 a year. The same patches that were by prescription a few years ago are over-the-counter today, at less than the cost of cigarettes.

These are just a few of the tips in the best-selling book, 101 Ways to Save Money on Health Care, Tips to Help You Spent Smart and Stay Healthy, recommended in the current issue of Reader's Digest. Would you spend $13 to save hundreds or thousands? Sounds like a deal!



Medical Bargaineering: 7 Tips to Save Money on Medical Expenses from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com.


Plant Perennial Vegetables for Eternal Harvesting

Posted: 14 Sep 2010 04:21 AM PDT

ChivesYou probably noticed that I’m a big fan of growing your own herbs (all the posts about harvesting herbs and drying fresh herbs probably gave it away) because the little canisters seem ridiculously expensive in the store. Herbs and spices are also remarkably easy to grow, which is perfect for me because the easier it is the better, and when you add in dollar savings and better flavor, it’s a no brainer.

One thing I’ve noticed is that our oregano keeps coming back year after year. We first planted it three years ago and it’s come back every single year. One year, it actually fell off our deck after a snowstorm. We scooped the dirt back in, propped it up, and the oregano still came back! What’s better than saving money, tasting better, and easy to maintain? A plant that saves you money, tastes better, is easier to maintain and comes back year after year with no extra effort!

That made me wonder… what other perennial plans can we grow?

Perennial Herbs

A lot of herbs are perennial but they need to survive the coldness of the winter. Clearly oregano survived ours, and a ten foot fall, but some others won’t. Here are common ones that are perennial, remember to check their hardiness (the hardiness zone) to see if they will survive outdoors in your climate or if you’ll need to bring them in.

  • Chives: USDA Zones 3a to 9b
  • Laurel Tree (Bay Leaf): 6a to 9b
  • Mint: 3a to 7b
  • Oregano: 5a to 9b
  • Parsley: 5a to 9b
  • Thyme: 4a to 10b

Some common herbs that are annuals include Coriander/Cilantro, Basil, and Dill. Otherwise, just do a quick search for the herb name and “perennial” to find out more. If it doesn’t have any information on hardiness, it means it’s an annual.

Perennial Vegetables

Herbs might be the biggest no brainer but you can’t live on herbs alone. That’s why it’s important to try to plant a few perennial vegetables as well. Perennial vegetables are a little trickier because they may not taste as good in subsequent years but it’s still good to give them a try.

  • Asparagus: The best known perennial, plant the crowns and wait a few years, it will produce asparagus in the Spring. Survives USDA Hardiness 5a to 8a.
  • Rhubarb: The second best known perennial, it requires cold winters to develop flavor and survives USDA Hardiness zones 6a and 8b.
  • Sunchokes Also known as Jerusalem artichokes, this potatoe like vegetable is an invasive plant that will spread rapidly. USDA Hardiness zones 4a to 9b.
  • Artichokes: If sunchokes come back, so do artichokes right? It needs a warmer climate, zones 7a to 9b.
  • Carrots: They are biennials and will return if you leave the roots in the ground, but in the second year they are bitter.
  • Potatoes: These are annuals but if you leave a couple spuds in the ground they will produce new plants the next spring.
  • Cherry Tomatoes: They are annuals but seeds always sprout the next year, so they seem like perennials.
  • Peppers: These are perennials but you will need to bring them in during the winter, USDA Hardiness zones 3a to 9b.

Have you tried growing any of these?

(Photo: pinprick)



Plant Perennial Vegetables for Eternal Harvesting from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com.


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