The following is a guest post by Brandon Cruz of GoHealth Insurance.
According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, diabetes affects nearly 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3 percent of the population. If you’re one of the millions of people suffering from diabetes, you may be looking for ways to save money on health insurance and other diabetes-related health costs. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to keep your diabetes and your health care costs under control.
Get Covered
If you’ve applied for individual health insurance in the past and have been denied due to your diabetic condition, or if the premiums quoted were extremely unaffordable, you’ll be happy to know that things have changed. Under the Affordable Care Act, you can no longer be denied coverage or charged more for pre-existing conditions, including diabetes.
If you don’t have access to an employer-sponsored group health plan through your job, and your income level disqualifies you from being eligible for programs like Medicaid, your best bet may be to purchase an individual health plan. Depending on your age and where you live, there are likely a variety of insurance plans from which to choose. You may want to consider using a third-party service to help streamline your search for health insurance and to provide guidance on which plan is best for your needs.
Shop Smart
Whether it’s your insulin, your oral medication, or even your testing supplies, there’s no denying that diabetes comes with a slew of ongoing medical costs. To help save money on your overall health care expenditures, it’s important that you perform some due diligence to make sure you’re getting the best deal.
Diabetic supply manufacturers sometimes offer coupons and rebates for their products; you can find these on the manufacturers’ websites, as well as on pharmacy websites and in weekly drugstore sales circulars. Take advantage of these savings opportunities, and consider joining a loyalty program offered by your drugstore or diabetic supply manufacturer.
Additionally, do some comparison shopping for both your prescription and non-prescription supplies; what you pay for medication at one pharmacy may be radically different than the cost of the same items at a pharmacy down the road. Rather than assuming your pharmacy has the best prices, spend the time to shop around. Also, be sure to utilize the Internet: Prescription price comparison sites let you compare drug prices from the comfort of your own home, and offer discount cards and coupons that can bring your costs down even further.
Save More Once You Get Covered
If you are one of the millions of Americans suffering from diabetes, it’s important that you effectively manage both your diabetes and your financial health. Ensuring that you have health insurance is a big step in the right direction, especially if you’ve been denied in the past. Doing your research — including taking advantage of discounts and rebates and using the Internet to help compare prices — is another smart move that has the potential for big savings.
Author Bio:
Brandon Cruz is the President of GoHealth Insurance. GoHealth powers one of the nation’s leading private health insurance exchanges for individuals and families.