Patients Should Get Involved In Making Decisions

When it comes to our health, we often leave it to our doctors to have the last word concerning medications, therapeutic procedures, and treatment protocols. Questioning doctors and asking for more information seems to be foreign to most people. “Doctors know best,” our mothers used to say. However, our current healthcare environment and economic status dictate that being proactive with health insurance costs and treatment procedures can benefit patients everywhere.

Today, health insurance quotes can be very expensive and there are now more than 50 million uninsured Americans, and among those insured, several million may be considered severely underinsured or may have difficulties coping with the high cost of health care. Doctors may have their patient’s health and interest as their primary concern, but today’s environment forces us to be more engaged in making decisions regarding our health.

We can no longer leave the entire decision to our doctors or pay several thousand dollars for a life-changing procedure. We should take a break and look at things from a different point of view and do our research. Patients should get involved and ask questions about their health. A good doctor will be glad to answer a patient’s questions and clarify things.

It doesn’t matter whether you visit your doctor for a routine check-up or for treating an injury, you have to be proactive when dealing with the possibility of having a new prescription, procedure, or treatment. Here are some questions to help guide you the next time you visit your physician:

• Will this test or procedure affect my treatment? How?
• How accurate is the test or procedure?
• What are the consequences if I choose to forgo treatment?
• Are there any lifestyle modifications I can do to help improve my condition?
• Are there any alternatives?
• Are generic drugs available for my prescription?

Asking questions like these and being involved with health care decisions can help you save a lot of money on health care and health insurance coverage. Many patients are pleasantly surprised when they find out that taking the time to ask a few important questions can lead to valuable information that may save them a lot of money.

Health should always be a top priority, but in today’s economy, any savings on health care goes a long way to protect you and your family. You must speak up and take charge of your healthcare decisions.