One BIG Tip to Save Money on Health Care
I’m teaming up with UnitedHealthCare to share tips to save money on health care.
There’s one topic that seems to be on the minds of most Americans these days: health care. Specifically, health care plans and costs.
But did you know that where you seek treatment also has a major effect on your health care spending? Regardless of what plan you’re covered by.
One BIG Tip to Save Money on Health Care
Pop quiz!
Your child sprains their ankle at soccer practice on Tuesday afternoon — do you take them to the emergency room, an urgent care clinic, or their primary care physician?
The good news: all are equipped to deal with this moderate injury. However, if you chose the emergency room, you could pay twice as much for the same treatment!
In fact, the average cost for an emergency room visit in the United States is $1,327. Yikes!
Your Health Care Choices
There are a variety of types of health care choices available. Knowing which to use in a particular situation can save a significant amount of time and money. Here are the options available through UnitedHealthCare:
- 24 Hour Nurse Line — A cost-free resource which allows you to speak with a nurse about health questions. A nurse line may direct you to an appropriate treatment location if you are not sure what attention your illness or injury requires.
- Virtual Visit — A service that allows you to connect with a real doctor by phone or computer for routine health care. This doctor may be able to diagnose and/or write prescriptions for minor conditions (rash, pink eye, allergies, etc.). A handy option when traveling; no appointment needed.
- Convenient Care Clinic — Often located within a store or shopping mall; can provide preventative health care services like screenings and immunizations. Useful when your regular doctor isn’t available, and co-pay is often similar to what you would see at your primary care physician.
- Urgent Care Clinic — Handles minor emergencies like sprained ankles, minor broken bones (like a finger), minor infections or burns. An urgent care clinic generally costs less and has a shorter wait than an emergency room.
- Emergency Room — Intended for life-threatening emergencies, for example: heavy bleeding, chest pain or shortness of breath, severe broken bones, and major burns.
CLICK HERE for more details on each of these care options.
Test your knowledge and win!
Now here’s your chance to test your health care knowledge with the UnitedHealthCare Quick Care Quiz. When you play, you’ll be entered to win a $100 Amazon gift card! Here’s how:
1- Visit UnitedHealthCare and take the Quick Care Quiz.
2- Upon completion of the quiz, enter your email address and the promo code ‘soccermom’ on the United Health Care site to confirm that you played.
3- Comment on this blog post with a tip you learned while taking the quiz.
4- Enter your name and contact info in the widget below. This will randomly select a winner from all qualified entries. I’ve also included a couple bonus entires to increase your odds! Contest open through 12/31/2016. (US residents, 1 entry per household, 18+). Good luck!
Giveaway closed – thank you to all who entered!
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I leaned you can save a lot of money by knowing care options before you need them!
An Urgent Care Center may provide care for sprains, strains, minor broken bones, minor infections and minor burns.
I learned that convenience clinics are a lot cheaper than urgent care.
I learned that a 24 hour Nurse hotline is your cheapest care option
I learned about virtual visits. Which I wasn’t as aware of before.
it costs a lot of money to go to the ER
i learned that the 24 hour nurse line is the least expensive option as it’s free.
My total score was 3.
I learned that 24 hour nurse (phone) is the least expensive option when you’re not in a life threatening situation.
thanks!
I had no idea what convenience clinics were. Great info. Thanks