Do Discount Fees for Medical Service Programs Really Work?
June 7th, 2008Having a health insurance policy provides a great sense of security for many families. Most people with health insurance usually have it through their employer and the employee and the employer may share the responsibility on paying the premium. Even though health insurance coverage provides a great benefit, it also provides a great fear that looms over our heads. The fear of not being able to afford health insurance or not having health insurance can provide great difficulty to many people.
We can also see a trend that more people do not have job-based health insurance. I’m sure if you have been in the work force for the last 5-10 years you can see that rates are rising every year (I have experienced a 20% increase in my rate last year alone) and with those high rates we have to pay more of a deductible. You have to wonder how long the middle class family can sustain health coverage. Plus I know supplemental Health Insurance (specifically Dental and Vision Care) is out of the question for me to provide to my family. It really is a shame isn’t it?
So our system is faced with many challenges, perhaps our healthcare system needs a total overhaul. So what are we to do? Well, I’m not sure if there is anything we can do to change the entire system immediately. However, if you are like me we can do something that will help limit the costs of supplemental Health Care. For those who cannot afford the additional $100.00 per month for Dental Care on top of your $650.00 plus payment for medical insurance, I would suggest into researching a supplemental health care program.
Basically, most of these programs contact providers to provide discounts to program member card holders. Some have many questions about the validity of these programs. I had doubts myself. However it is really how I look at healthcare in general that raised my doubts. Most of us have a “Health Insurance” mindset and we expect all of our providers to be available and only pay $30 for the care we need. The approach is different with medical discount cards.
The best way to look at such a program is to evaluate where you stand with your current health care coverage: If you do not have insurance for Dental Care or Vision Care, then you have to work at making the best as to what you have. Medical Discount Card programs provide a good alternative and they do save you money. However, I learned it takes persistence and a little work. The benefit you get with persistence and little bit of work is you have control over your costs and the care you receive.
Another immediate concern I had was my provider was not listed with the plan I had. However, I researched the Dentist’s available with my plan and found someone suitable for the care I needed. So the extra time spent on finding a dentist gave me two benefits: (1) Control over my care and (2) Savings on the services itself.
So even though health costs and coverage for those costs are sky rocketing. The middle class American family can still save money with a little research and persistence. As we have access to less and less services, there are alternatives that can take advantage of to help our families.
Topher John is a webmaster for http://www.mybenefitsavings.com and http://beinbusiness.net and he specializes in building internet small businesses. His interests are the healthcare industry, specifically how it relates to the family and physical fitness.