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Consumers are rapidly becoming aware that costs for health care coverage extend well beyond premiums, copays, and deductibles—costs such as additional charges for out-of-network physicians and facilities. There is also a growing understanding that different providers charge varying costs for services—and that other hidden variables can increase the final bill for treatment.
But consumer health care costs are not only a price issue. The cost of health care is the final sum of many decisions that are—at least partly—controllable by consumers or providers. Unfortunately, most consumers don’t know all the factors that make up health care costs, and why those costs differ so broadly across treatments and providers. And they often feel that they don’t know enough to question their doctors to get answers or explore alternatives.
That must change, quickly. Unexpected costs have put consumers at risk of bankruptcy and lawsuits. Let’s examine four ways that you can be empowered to lower your health care expenses…