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Get More Value From Your Healthcare Benefits

You get what you pay for. We hear that expression over and over again in our daily lives, but is it true?

When it comes to healthcare services, paying more is not always a guarantee of higher quality. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, United States spending on health care is more than six percentage points higher than other developed countries, but Americans are no healthier.

The problem isn't that patients are spending too much. It's the fact that patients aren't always getting their money's worth. Here's why:

  • Receiving healthcare services that aren't necessary.

  • Paying for high-priced medications that don't work better than ones that cost less.

  • Undergoing procedures that don't produce better outcomes.

  • Not making time for preventive care.

It all adds up. According to the Institute of Medicine, America's healthcare system wastes as much as $750 billion every year.

Being a wise health consumer isn't about spending less. It's about spending more wisely. Here are 5 ways to get better value for your healthcare dollar, courtesy of Own Your Health.

  1. Use primary care. Research shows that people who have an ongoing relationship with a primary care provider have better overall health outcomes and live longer than those people without one. The emphasis on prevention has something to do with it. There's also considerable value in having a healthcare provider on your team who knows your complete health history and can serve as a trusted advisor. If your needs change and you need to work with another doctor, ask your primary care doctor for a referral. And keep your primary care doctor in the loop with tests, procedures and medications provided by other doctors.

  2. Get the right care. When you put off getting care that you need, it can lead to more serious health conditions that are harder and more costly to treat. At the same time, receiving healthcare services you don't really need can be bad for your health and unnecessarily expensive. Talking to your primary care doctor is an excellent way to learn what you need and what you don't. You can always get a second opinion. Resources from the Washington Health Alliance can help you compare medical groups, clinics and hospitals so you know where to go for effective, proven health care. Use the Ask Mayo Clinic nurse line or online symptom assessment if you think you might need care but are not sure. To learn more about symptoms, conditions, treatments and medications, using the EmbodyHealth portal from Mayo Clinic or a site like MedlinePlus from the National Library of Medicine are more likely to serve up facts instead of hype.

  3. Talk to your doctor. Ask questions about medications you are prescribed. Understand why you are taking it and how it should be taken. Keep a checklist of all medications you are taking and share this list with your health care provider. Free resources from the Express Scripts website make it easy and convenient. Prepare for visits to your health care provider by compiling lists of questions or concerns you wish to discuss. Start with these 5 questions:

    • Do I really need this test or procedure?

    • What are the downsides?

    • Are there simpler, safer options?

    • What happens if I do nothing?

    • How much does it cost?

  4. Take care of yourself. It's wasteful to pay for medicine and then stop taking it. Unfortunately, patients do it all the time. A 2006 study by the National Community Pharmacists Association found that nearly 75% of adults do not follow their doctor's orders when it comes to medications. This is believed to cost $2,000 per year per patient in physician visit expenses alone. In similar fashion, benefits for immunizations, routine exams and screenings go unused year after year, even though they are a sensible way to avoid expensive and painful treatments down the road. Taking care of yourself is more than eating right and exercising. It means being alert and informed about what's going on with your health, understanding what you need to do, and most important—just doing it.

  5. Make smart choices. Physicians and patients need to work together to choose care supported by evidence, that doesn't duplicate other tests or procedures, that won't cause harm and is truly necessary. Materials from the Choosing Wisely campaign are excellent resources for patients and physicians alike. Developed by the American Board of Internal Medicine and Consumer Reports magazine, these materials put doctors and patients on the same page so they can choose care that is necessary, safe, supported by evidence, and does not duplicate tests or procedures already received. Check out Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question.

More resources:

Consumer Health Choices from Consumer Reports, this website offers free brochures, reports, articles, tips and other resources to help patients be smarter healthcare consumers.

Healthcare Bluebook is a free website that helps patients determine fair prices for healthcare services in their local area.

Own Your Health is a Washington Health Alliance campaign to help patients get the right care at the right time for the right reason.

Choosing Wisely provides lists of tests and procedures that patients and physicians should question, based on the recommendations of leading medical societies and Consumer Reports magazine.

Community Checkup from the Washington Health Alliance is the most credible resource for comparing healthcare providers in Washington.