And many millennials are also caring for children with complicated medical needs.
Expenses can include doctor’s visits, tests and prescription drugs, plus indirect costs that may result from missing work.
But there are ways to keep health care costs lower, including taking advantage of a flexible spending account or health savings account, comparing pharmacy prices on medications and using a care manager through your insurance. Here are some strategies to try.
ASK QUESTIONS
If you have a chronic condition, be an active participant in your care. “Too many people go to the doctor and the doctor says, ‘We’re ordering this test; we’re doing this medicine,’ and they don’t inquire as to why,” says Carolyn McClanahan, a certified financial planner and physician in Jacksonville, Florida. “When you need bloodwork, ask the doctor, ‘How is this bloodwork going to change what we do for me?’”
If the answer is essentially, “We’re just checking,” McClanahan says, ask your doctor whether you can safely skip that test because you’re trying to control costs.
COMPARE MEDICATION COSTS
Your prescription medication may cost significantly less at another pharmacy. For example, a recent search for sumatriptan, a common migraine medication, showed prices ranging from about $7 to $36 at various pharmacies in Austin, Texas.
“People should always shop their prescription costs,” McClanahan says.
This story is from the AppleMagazine #596 edition of AppleMagazine.
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This story is from the AppleMagazine #596 edition of AppleMagazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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