It’s been a rough week, with financial institutions crumbling and people losing their jobs. The economy has been less than stellar (to say the least) for a while now, and we’re all making choices about how to spend our money.
So it may not be surprising that health care costs are beginning to enter into that equation even more frequently. According to an article that was published in The Wall Street Journal today, health care spending has declined in many areas – from prescription drugs to doctor visits to preventive tests (like blood tests and mammograms). For example, according to Laboratory Corp., in the first 3 months of 2008 obstetrician-gynecologist (Ob/Gyn) visits dropped 6% compared to the same period in 2007.
If you have an ongoing condition for which you need regular medication and other treatment, the issues with missing your recommended treatment are probably clear. However, when we look at preventive care, a missed screening might not seem that important. But take a look at the Ob/Gyn visit example – many women use this type of doctor visit as their only form of preventive care. On Ignite, we’ve regularly discussed the importance of preventive screening – and we specifically looked at preventive care for women when we read Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom this past spring. Regular preventive care helps us find small problems before they get larger – which helps our health and our finances.
So given all of the other basic needs, how can we save money on our health? One first step might be to check with the doctor. If you’re on an expensive brand-name medication, next time you visit the doctor, consider asking about generics or other alternatives (maybe even over-the-counter). If you have a medication you take regularly, see if you can order it through mail-order – your doctor can write a prescription for you to get your medication through mail-order.
Another way to save money is living healthier. Quitting smoking means you save on the cigarettes (1 pack/day at $5/pack is nearly $2,000 a year). But you also save on health care costs related to smoking. Exercise can have the same effect. In the vein of a little prevention going a long way, being active and losing extra weight can save you long-term health care costs. And you don’t have to join a gym or purchase equipment – walking is one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to add fitness to your schedule.
Of course, always talk with your doctor before making changes – prescription drugs and exercise too.
Kerry
