Maximizing Your Healthcare Dollar

According to a new Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll, the majority of U.S. adults are worried about being able to afford medical care and prescription medications. In addition, a recent study reveals that one in seven children and working-age Americans went without needed prescription medications in 2007 due to cost concerns, up from one in 10 in 2003.

Experts predict these statistics are likely to get worse in 2009, and this could present greater financial hardships for those Americans with chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, as their healthcare costs are twice as high as those of people without the condition. And, while it may be tempting to cut back on healthcare spending by skipping medications or reducing blood sugar testing, it's important for people with diabetes to continue to follow the treatment regimen recommended by their doctor to help safeguard their health.

To help people with diabetes get the most value for their healthcare dollar, OneTouch, the leading brand of blood sugar meters for people with diabetes, has teamed with consumer advocate and syndicated columnist, Jim Miller to offer tips which can help maintain physical and financial health.

"In a time when we're all cutting back, it's getting harder and harder to find significant savings from just one area," said Miller, who is also a frequent contributor to NBC's "Today" show. "The key is to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible, which can add up to big savings over the course of a year."

Categorized into ways to reduce co-pays and find savings through employers and lifestyle modifications, tips include:

What To Do If You Have Health Insurance

• Talk to your pharmacist or insurance company to make sure you're getting your prescriptions and testing supplies at the lowest co-pay. If not, talk to your physician about switching your prescriptions to the products with the lowest co-pays covered by your plan. For example, OneTouch Brand Test Strips are available at the lowest co-pay on more health plans than any other test strip. This means you could reduce co-pay costs by 45 percent for an average savings of $250 a year.
• Buy prescriptions in quantity. For example, a three-month prescription may save you on dispensing fees, which can make it less expensive than buying it month to month.

What To Do If You Have Inadequate Or No Insurance

• There are many free or low-cost programs, including individual pharmacy plans, that offer assistance with getting prescriptions or supplies for free, or at a discount, for those who qualify. Good resources for researching these programs include: http://www.TogetherRxAccess.com; http://www.Access2wellness.com; http://www.pparx.org; http://www.rxassist.org; and www.needymeds.org.
• Look into free or low-cost health clinics, such as those which are federally funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration; available from Hill-Burton facilities (http://www.hrsa.gov/hillburton); or privately funded, nonprofit, community-based clinics (http://www.freemedicalcamps.com).
• Visit www.freehealthscreenings.org for information to help you keep up with regular, routine health screenings. In the long run, preventive care is the best healthcare investment.

What To Do At Work

• If your company offers a flexible spending account, use it. It reduces your taxes by letting you pay for your out-of-pocket medical expenses, and over-the-counter products, with pre-tax dollars.
• Find out if your employer health plan offers any special programs for individuals with chronic conditions that may provide certain needed prescriptions and products for free.

What To Do On Your Own

• Some basics: if you are overweight, lose it; if you smoke, quit; if you don't exercise, start; and if you drink, do so in moderation. Keeping healthy habits like these helps keep you healthy and save money in the long run.
• Plan healthy meals with free tools such as the American Diabetes Association's MyFood Advisor and LifeScan's OneTouchGold

In this tough economy, there are ways to save on healthcare costs without cutting back on healthcare treatment.