Posts

The Holidays are Too Busy for Illnesses!

The Holidays are Too Busy for Illnesses!

/0 Comments/in /by

It’s the most wonderful time of the year again, and you’ve got travel plans to make, bags to pack, last minute work obligations, and more to do – Being sick just isn’t an option.

Of course, that’s when you always get sick and so does everyone else. The ERs start to overflow, the doctors’ offices are packed and have no appointments open, and you can’t stand the thought of having to take four days to lie in bed eating chicken soup and hoping for a turn for the better.

The good news is, you don’t have to tough it out or wait helplessly for a doctor’s appointment. Telemedicine is changing the way people can receive routine care for things like colds, the flu, bronchitis, laryngitis, and more. 92% of conditions people are normally seen for a doctor in this office are things which can be diagnosed, treatment recommended, and even prescriptions write for over a Telemedicine consult.

How does Telemedicine Work?

If you have the telemedicine benefit from 2BenefitU, it’s incredibly easy to get appropriate medical care via a quick phone or video call.  You simply pick up the phone and speak to a board-certified physician who can diagnose many common conditions right over the phone. They will listen to you, ask questions, consult with specialists if needed, and then prescribe basic (non-controlled) medications, and advise you on at-home care for yourself or your child.

If the presenting condition is determined to be serious, they’ll also let you know if it’s time to go to the doctor, an urgent care location or ER. You don’t have to suffer or watch a family member suffer. You don’t have to take time off from work or school to travel to a doctor or medical care center and wait for hours. You don’t even have to leave your couch or your desk – just pick up a phone.

Telemedicine is Ideal for the Whole Family

The Telemedicine option offers you an easy, effective way to get a quick, effective diagnosis and treatment without having to trade off valuable work time and family obligations. You’ll most likely be feeling better in next to no time, and able to resume making your plans to spend time with friends and family over the holidays.

Telemedicine covers the whole family, so one monthly subscription price (plans start at $15.95 per month) will ensure you have instant medical consultations available whenever you need them. Sign up with 2BenefitU, and get Telemedicine and many other bundled enhanced health and wellness benefits today!

9 Tips for Lowering your Medical Bills

9 Tips for Lowering your Medical Bills

/0 Comments/in /by

Even with the ACA in place, medical bills can quickly spiral out of control. How can you lower your costs? These tips can help.

  1. If you have a PPO, always double check to ensure that your doctor is in-network. This is particularly important when you receive a referral from your primary care physician, who may not be able to keep every insurance plan committed to memory. Before you leave the office, have them call and ensure the specialist is in-network. Our Health Advocacy Benefit could save you hours by helping check on these potential issues.
  2. Ask about options. If the cost of the treatment prescribed is overwhelming, find out if every test is strictly necessary. If test A could confirm or rule out a problem, perhaps getting it first instead of bundled with test B,C, and D is the smart move. Our Lab Testing and Scans Benefit could also seriously cut down on these costs.
  3. For items which are more expensive to pay your co-pay on, ask what your doctor’s office cash discount price is. You might be surprised at the difference. The Medical Bill Saver Benefit can often save you up to 60% off of services – better than your insurance company!
  4. Speaking of pharmaceutical costs, ask about generics. Sometimes it’s cheaper to pay out of pocket for a generic than to pay the copay for a 2nd or 3rd tier drug. There might even be an OTC option you can use some of your pre-tax health savings account dollars for. Our Discount Pharmacy Card Benefit can provide deep discounts even on generic drugs.
  5. Look at your medical bills. A whopping 9 out of 10 hospital bills have overcharges that are missed by the patient. Ask for an itemized bill and look for errors. Insurance companies incorrectly handle claims as well, so don’t be shy asking for an audit of your bill by your claim manager. Medical Bill Saver can be a lifesaver here, finding savings up to 60%.
  6. Make sure you are up-to-date on what is covered and not covered. You might be surprised that you have unused coverage you could be benefiting from, and you also might discover that there are certain areas you’d do better negotiating on your own for. Better yet, use our Health Advocacy Benefit to negotiate on your behalf and save yourself the hassle!
  7. Talk to your doctor’s office staff and make friends with them. They’ll be more eager to help you watch for errors and to help you with any discounts the office offers if they know you appreciate it – a basket of fruit or a box of homemade cupcakes or muffins can really mean a lot.
  8. Ask about payment schedules if you know a co-pay is going to be hard to manage. Have a number in mind that your budget can bear and go in asking for a slightly lower number so you have wiggle room. Medical Bill Saver can come to the rescue if you need a negotiator.

Obviously, if you have 2BenefitU plan, you can always use the mentioned benefits to help track down areas you are overpaying in and lower your healthcare costs. These are just several of the many money-saving benefits you get when you have a subscription!