<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"No matter the outcome of the health-care battle raging in Washington at press time, one diagnosis is beyond dispute: The cost of getting sick \u2014 and of staying well \u2014 continues to climb. American families spent an average of $6,000 out of pocket on health insurance and other medical costs like co-pays and deductibles in 2009, reports the National Coalition on Health Care, which estimates that number will jump to $9,000 by 2012. But if you want to control your medical spending, there&amp;#039;s no need to wait for laws to change. Here are smart ways to save, starting today: Save on Doctor Visits 1. Find vaccines at low cost. If your health insurance doesn&amp;#039;t cover immunizations like those against polio and hepatitis B for your kids, that doesn&amp;#039;t mean you have to shell out. A federal program provides shots for these kids as well as for those whose families have no health insurance. Visit cdc.gov for the specifics. How much could you save? Our calls to pediatric clinics found savings from $28 to $88 per vaccine. 2. Get a cheap shot. You can avoid high vaccine fees for yourself, too. Many drugstores and grocery stores offer flu shots for a very low fee, typically about $25. Don&amp;#039;t worry about unsanitary practices, as the law spells out that rubbing alcohol and new needles must be used. 3. Be screened. The CDC&amp;#039;s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program provides free breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services to uninsured, underinsured, and low-income women (at press time, &amp;quot;low income&amp;quot; could be defined as less than about $44,000 for a family of four). In 2008, over 300,000 women were screened for free for each kind of cancer. For details, go to cdc.gov. If you qualify, you&amp;#039;ll save the $100 that uninsured women typically spend for a mammogram and the $50 that a Pap smear can cost. 4. Don&amp;#039;t be afraid to dicker. Doctors and other health-care providers know that times are tight, so don&amp;#039;t be shy about asking for a price break. When making an appointment, check with the billing manager of the office to see if the practice has what&amp;#039;s known as a cash-payment discount program. That means you get a price break if you pay for services up front rather than waiting to be billed. Collecting their fees is a key issue for doctors, says Jason Beans, CEO of Rising Medical Solutions, a Chicago firm specializing in medical cost containment and care management \u2014 so your paying in cash at the time of your visit can be a real boon for them.  Save on Drugs 5. Snag freebies. Drug manufacturers routinely stock doctors with samples of free meds. So if you need a prescription, just ask; you may well receive. And this holds true for skin cleansers at dermatologists&amp;#039; offices and even contact lens cleaners at optometrists&amp;#039; offices: &amp;quot;I give patients lens-care kits with travel bottles of cleaner so they can get through airport security,&amp;quot; says Robert Murray, O.D., an optometrist in South Portland, ME. 6. Just mail (or e-mail) it in. Fill your prescriptions via the Internet, and you can save a bundle versus filling them at your local drugstore. Here&amp;#039;s proof: One walk-in pharmacy&amp;#039;s cash price for a 90-day supply of Lipitor at 20 milligrams runs about $450; familymeds.com charges $360.90 for the same prescription. But don&amp;#039;t pick just any site: the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (nabp.net ) says many so-called Internet pharmacies are notorious for spam that lures shoppers to fraudulent Websites. And, the NABP estimates, 95 percent of Internet pharmacies appear to be out of compliance with pharmacy laws and practice standards. The NABP has a list of recommended Internet pharmacies on its Website. 7. Get cash back. If you like getting cash back on purchases like groceries and electronics, why not do the same with health-care products and services? The Caregivers Marketplace can lower your costs on those items that are not typically covered by insurance or Medicare. The program \u2014 operated by Hamacher Resource Group, a Milwaukee-based health-care services provider \u2014 delivers rebates on pain relievers, vitamins, skin-care products, and other goods. (Product manufacturers pay to participate as a way of building their sales.) According to Caregivers, each rebate check averages $15. Sign up at caregiversmarketplace.com. 8. Join the club. Cut your Rx costs by joining your pharmacy&amp;#039;s drug-discount program. For instance, Walgreens (walgreens.com) offers a prescription savings club for people not enrolled in Medicaid or Medicare. The program provides discounts on more than 5,000 brand-name and generic medications and kicks in a 10 percent reward on other products and services. Example: With a $20 yearly enrollment fee ($35 for families), members can buy a 90-day supply of any of more than 400 generic meds for less than $1 per week. Save on Eye Care 9. Leverage memberships. Memberships in groups such as AARP and AAA can get you lower rates at many eyeglass dealers. For instance, AAA members get a 30 percent discount on eye exams, eyeglasses, and accessories, and 10 percent off nondisposable contact lenses, at 2,700 locations (member discounts at aaa.com).  Save on Dental Care 10. Go to school to save. Many dental schools offer low-cost dental care, performed by students who are supervised by the faculty. For instance, services such as cleaning and cavity filling at Boston University School of Dental Medicine Predoctoral Patient Treatment Center are up to 70 percent cheaper than the price you&amp;#039;d pay at a dentist&amp;#039;s office in the area (as low as $60 for a filling, versus $121). Call a nearby university to see if you can reap similar savings while getting quality care. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/money/advice/a17918/healthcare-costs/?src=shelter_footer>