Thinking back on that last post, about how it takes all of us to curb medical spending, reminded me of my personal attitude adjustment on this issue.
My health plan puts claims online so I can track them, and also shows what I paid and what the plan paid. That was an eye-opener. I thought I was pretty low-maintenance, not a drain on the plan. But my two little meds for a skin condition really add up: between co-pay and insurance coverage, they cost $200 a month, more than my premium share.
Working for a health plan has made me conscious of medical costs. So I researched my options at RegenceRx.com. I found that hydrocortisone cream controls the same symptoms as the prescription I used, for only $5 a tube (less for store-brand). After awhile, I didn’t even need it every day, just every few weeks.
Unfortunately, they don’t make a hydrocortisone shampoo (unless you’re a dog). But I got a valuable clue from RegenceRx.com: both my meds were considered “anti-fungal” (ew!). A Google search showed vinegar has anti-fungal properties. I left some vinegar on my scalp for several minutes before shampooing and voila--that works too!
It was fun to find such easy and cheap solutions, but how come I had to find them myself? No doctor in 15 years of taking those meds offered any alternatives. But then, no vinegar salesmen go to my doctor’s office and buy her staff pizza so she will recommend it.
For about $35 a year, I took myself off two meds and saved $450 in co-pays and $1900 for the health plan -- Unbelievable!! I told my doctor to note I was no longer taking those meds, and that she should pass the word to other patients so they could try it. She just looked kind of bemused. “But those meds are covered,” she said.
“Covered” doesn’t mean “free” – somebody still pays. In fact, everybody pays. That’s why reform can’t stop with health insurance. It will take an attitude adjustment.
My little DIY solution cut almost $10,000 in spending by my health plan – that is, me and my co-workers – in just four years. This didn’t take months of research, settling for less or changing my lifestyle. It just took changing my attitude.
If you’ve had one of those attitude adjustments, maybe you could share it at our Facebook page.
