4 tips to help you save more on health care
Health care costs continue to rise year over year, putting more pressure on household budgets. In fact, 10.5% of Americans say they avoided medical care due to costs.1 Understanding your options may help you save more money and make more informed health care decisions.
Here are four ways to better manage health care costs and maximize your benefits:
1. Consider health plans designed to help you shop for care
Health care prices can vary widely – even within the same city. Fortunately, some modernized health plans offer upfront pricing and care options, allowing you to shop for care like you would for other products.
For example, the Surest health plan from UnitedHealthcare eliminates deductibles and shows members their care options (e.g., virtual visits, urgent care) and costs upfront through the Surest app or website, displaying lower copays for providers who historically offered more effective, cost-efficient care. People enrolled in Surest have saved 50% on average out-of-pocket compared to traditional plans.2
2. Take advantage of wellness programs
Also, talk to your insurer and employer about other programs that may help you save money.
Many health plans offer rewards for completing activities like annual wellness visits, preventive screenings or health assessments. For instance, eligible members may have access to UnitedHealthcare Rewards, a leading consumer engagement program. Employees choose which activities to complete based on preference and health journey goals. And those earned rewards may be used toward additional wellness offerings, such as a subscription to One Pass Select®. One Pass Select is a flexible fitness membership that gives employees access to a nationwide network of fitness locations. In fact, 76% of employees who signed up for the program were actively engaged.
UnitedHealthcare now offers a program called Care Cash to eligible members that features a preloaded debit card that can be used to help pay towards cost sharing for certain eligible network health care expenses like primary care and urgent care visits. Members receive $200 for the year for individual coverage or $500 for family coverage. By incentivizing people to access preventive care, Care Cash is designed to help drive positive health behaviors, which may improve health outcomes and lower the overall costs of care.
3. Don’t forget about other core benefits
Don’t forget dental, vision or supplemental health benefits like accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity coverage.
Preventive dental care – including cleanings and oral cancer screenings – is often covered, and some plans offer added services during pregnancy at no additional cost. You may also have access to teledentistry services that provide a clinical consult 24/7 in addition to your regular preventative care.
4. Prioritize preventive care
Remember to schedule your annual wellness exam and preventive screenings. Health plans usually cover preventive care, which means you may pay $0 out of pocket for certain covered preventive services if you go to a network provider.
Also consider virtual visits, which may be more convenient and cost effective for non-emergency care.
These steps may be helpful when it comes to making more informed health decisions and may help you save money in the long run. Check with your employer or health plan to see what benefits are available to you.
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