Health care costs are higher than they have ever been in this day and age, to the point that they are actually pushing more and more people out of reach. Decent health care is now so hard to come by if you do not have good benefits or thousand in the bank that people are really struggling to get and stay healthy. The health of the nation is declining as a result. Costs have risen to the extent that any illness has to burn itself out because people cannot afford to go to the doctor’s surgery to get a prescription, but why have health care costs escalated this far?Health Care Costs And Governmental ChangesIn recent years, the legal system and the medical system have been lumped together under the same umbrella as a result of the fact that the United States is now a suing nation. Every time someone files a lawsuit against a doctor or hospital, health care costs are guaranteed to rise, so think how much all of the lawsuits combined have contributed to the rising health care costs that we are now faced with! Of course, if an individual is suing a doctor or hospital for a legitimate reason then that is warranted, but if they are just doing it to profit or on made up accusations then those individuals are ruining health care for those of us that just want to be healthy and would be grateful to be able to afford an appointment when we are ill. Too often, individuals sue because they get the basic health care standard rather than something that they have not paid for to begin with, and the rest of us have to foot the bill.Insurance companies also contribute to the rising health care costs. Some insurance companies actually determine the costs of various procedures on their policies and will only pay that set amount out despite the fact that a bill for the medical care received actually totals more. As a result, most people would not be able to pay the bill in full so it would go to a debt collector, which costs money, or written off, which also costs money. As a result, doctors and hospitals put their health care costs up to recoup their losses and we all miss out as a result.The final reason for the rising health care costs that we have today is the standards of living. Every day living is rising in expense on a daily basis and we cannot keep up. More and more people are getting into debt as a result. When general prices go up, so do the health care costs and thus the less affluent people suffer as a result. They find themselves unable to afford anything. If there is no help available then this will have to change because health care cannot go on as it is. There has to be some sort of reform and fast, otherwise nobody will be healthy in the coming years!

It’s wonderful to know that you have options available when you need care quickly, but it’s never good to let pressing treatments during illness or injury be your only form of health care. Seeing a doctor regularly for checkups and physicals is the best way to stay healthy. When you don’t have time to schedule an appointment your new option involves an urgent care walk in clinic. There are many urgent care clinics across the country, and they are becoming the new go-to health location.What can preventative health care do for you? Prevention in health care is all encompassing. Eating healthy, exercising, and visiting a primary care physician and dentist regularly are all part of lengthening your life. Getting excellent health care when you have a problem isn’t the only step of living a healthy life. The best course of action is stopping any diseases before they start.How Prevention HelpsMany serious health concerns and deaths are caused by completely preventable diseases or chronic conditions that could be addressed with regular health care. How does prevention help?Chronic Diseases -7 out of 10 Americans who die every year, will die from chronic diseases. Many of these diseases, like diabetes, are preventable. And some, like heart disease and cancer, can be caught early with regular checkups.More Common Than You Think -If you break down the numbers, almost one in every two adults has a chronic illness of some kind! Many of whom are unaware of, or not properly treating, their illnesses.Children Need Preventative Health Care Too – These kinds of diseases are becoming more common in children as well. Simply because most children are healthy and have good immune systems after infanthood does not mean they can go without regular checkups. One in every three children in America is currently vulnerable to some chronic diseases simply by being overweight. Healthier children means more days in school and better learning!Those who discover chronic conditions, like cancer, early are more likely to survive. And many chronic diseases are found during routine check ups and doctor’s appointments. There are financial benefits to preventative health care as well! Healthier people mean less sick days, less company loss, and higher paychecks for everyone.What it Means to Engage in PreventionPreventative health care is wide in scope. So what does it mean to actively engage in health prevention?Visit the Doctor if You Are Sick -It means going to the doctor, including an urgent care walk in clinic, when you are sick so that a standard infection doesn’t become a dangerous secondary infection.Take Care of Yourself at Home -It means checking yourself for potential issues with safety measures like breast self-examinations and keeping good track of your body’s behaviors.Submit to Annual Examinations and Tests -It means submitting to even those tests you find embarrassing, like colonoscopies or prostate exams. Being healthy means putting pride aside and considering your body’s needs.Commit to Living Healthy -It means focusing on the best ways to make your body healthy with everyday living. Try to stop habits that have long term effects on your body, like drinking and smoking. Try to involve yourself in regular exercise. Try to note what you eat and how much you eat. Good nutrition means better health.A routine investment in your health is a long term investment in your future!

Adjust Your DeductibleThe two main component of a health insurance plan are the premium and costs you pay for health care via your co-pay, co-insurance and deductible. The more you agree to pay for your health care, the less your monthly premium will be. Insurance companies know that when people have a financial stake in their own health care bills they tend to be more judicious in their use of medical services. Agreeing to pay a higher deductible, or rate of co-insurance, will result in lower monthly premiums. Sometimes these reductions can be quite significant and if saved will cover most if not all of the cost of the higher deductible.This approach is less effective for people who use a lot of health care services every year, racking up large bills. However, for people who are generally health and don’t use a lot of health care, they can realize dramatic savings using a high deductible health plan. Plans with high premiums are guaranteed to cost you a lot of money even if you don’t go to the doctor. Plans with high deductibles will only cost you a lot if you actually use medical services.Use Tax AdvantagesThere are a few ways to reduce your health insurance costs using the income tax system. The first and most common way is to use a health savings account otherwise known as an HSA. An HSA is a special banking account you are allowed to put pretax money in to spend on health care costs. The money you put into your health savings account does not get taxed as regular income. Depending on the tax bracket you are in, this can be a significant discount on health care costs. Many health care plans do not cover things like maternity, dental services and eye care. However, these services can be paid for out of an HSA.To be eligible for an HSA, you must have a high deductible health insurance plan that meets the IRS requirements for health savings accounts. Generally you have to carry a high deductible and the plan has to have limits on total out of pocket cots.If you are facing large health care bills, you may be able to deduct them from your income tax. You are allowed to deduct any medical expenses above 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. There are a wide variety of services that can be included in this amount, even a mileage deduction for transportation to and from the hospital. Make sure to consult a tax advisor if you choose to go this route.Use your free Preventive CareAll health insurance plans are now required to provide free preventive care, so make sure you use it. Routine checkups and some testing is free for adults. Well baby visits and immunizations are free for children. These are significant benefits so make sure you are taking full advantage of them.Shop AroundOne of the reasons health care has become so expensive is there is little price competition. Don’t be afraid to ask what a doctor charges, especially for planned or expected health care. Some hospitals can be very competitive on price for services like labor and delivery, while others can be quite expensive. Don’t assume health care costs the same everywhere, it certainly does not.Emergency rooms are especially to be avoided if you are looking to reduce your health care costs. They should only be used for true emergencies. For non life threatening medical issues like ear infections or even a cut requiring stitches, consider using an urgent care or local clinic. The costs of services at these locations can be a tenth of what an emergency room will charge.Stay HealthyThis may sound like tired advice, but staying out of the hospital is the best way to reduce your costs. Try putting everyday activities in terms of what they may cost you in the long run. Sitting on the couch with a big bowl of ice cream is much more expensive than a nice walk outside. If living a long life isn’t enough motivation to be healthy now, consider that your unhealthy lifestyle will cost you a lot of money in health care costs.