It’s bad enough that you got sick but it’s worse when you have to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars for healthcare. You work hard for that money but after getting well, you have to work yourself sick (pun intended) to recover your lost funds. However, this doesn’t have to be the case always. There are ways to get quality healthcare without breaking the bank. Here’s how:

Get your family registered under the Medicare Safety Net.

Although it pays to increase your out-of-pocket costs in terms of lowering your premiums on your health insurance, it also helps to apply and register under the Medicare Safety Net. This program aims to protect you and your family from the high out-of-pocket costs you may incur when you seek healthcare outside a hospital. This may include visits to your general practitioner, specialist consultations, and laboratory tests like x-ray and blood testing. You can get more information on this from the Medicare website.

See which medical practitioners practice bulk-billing and go for them.

Bulk-billing is the term used when the medical practitioner bills Medicare directly, accepting the Medicare benefit as full payment for a service. If your practitioner bulk-bills, your appointment won’t cost you anything and you’ll be saved the hassle of claiming back benefits. However, most doctors do not advertise that they practice bulk-billing. As such, this money-saving technique may cost more effort on your part since the only way to find out who practices bulk-billing is to actually call or drop by the doctor’s office and ask about it.

Have additional healthcare services done at registered practices.

If you must undergo tests like x-rays, blood tests, and ultrasounds, make it a point to get it done under registered practices. This is because you’ll only get Medicare benefits if you undergo diagnostic tests in sites that has practice registration. Registered diagnostic imaging and radiation oncology practice sites have a location-specific practice number (LSPN) that needs to be quoted on patient accounts/receipts for you to receive a Medicare benefit for these services. More likely than not, your doctor will refer you to a registered practice, but it’s worth checking.

Be a public patient.

The next time you get sick, consider being a public patient even if you are on a private health insurance plan. This way, you get quality healthcare at reduced cost or for free. Services that you can get for free as a public patients include hospital accommodation, nursing care, medicines, treatments, diagnostic tests, and follow up treatment. The only advantage you can ask if you are a private patient is to see a medical specialist of your choice from among those appointed to the hospital.

Get medications at an online drugstore.

You can buy cheap generic drugs online from online drugstores that are reputable and of good quality. By far, this is the easiest and most convenient means of seeking affordable healthcare nowadays. As long as the online pharmacy you signed up for is legit, you can be sure that you are getting quality medications at a fraction of the cost you’ll pay for them from an offline outlet.

Kristine Anne Gonzaga is a content writer and researcher who specializes in health topics and health-related issues. She delights in finding tips and ideas on simple and practical healthcare and sharing them through her writing.

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