10 ways to cut your health care costs

Health care costs can put a serious strain on any family's finances.Fortunately, there are dozens of ways to cut your health care costs.Here are 10 ways to cut your health care costs and save you money:

1. Ask for help - When you are really in a financial pinch, doctors and hospitals may be willing to help you with the bill.Medical bills are frequently marked up to cover a number of costs above and beyond the material and services costs that you incur.So ask if they can help you out, after all, it never hurts to ask.

2. Pay cash - Physicians spend thousands in medical billing costs and even more in unpaid bills.Offer to pay cash upfront for your medical services and then use this convenience as a bargaining chip for discounts.

3. Check it twice - Medical billing errors are very common.By keeping a log of the medical expenses that you incur and then comparing that list to the bill you receive, you can prevent yourself from having to pay for medical services that were never rendered.You can also ask for a breakdown of services to make sure that they actually add up to the total that you were charged.

4. Doctors vs. hospitals - Although your doctor may be a provider covered by your insurance carrier, the radiologists, anesthesiologists and other hospital specialists that your doctor uses may not be in your network.If you know that you will be needed services performed by individuals other than your doctor, make sure that they too are covered in your network.

5. Buy your own supplies - Hospitals and doctors always mark up the costs on equipment like braces, crutches, and even bandages.By going to a medical supply store and buying these supplies yourself, you can save money.

6. Choose your own health care costs - Many people receiving health coverage under their employer don't think twice about how much they have to pay in premiums, but if you are young and healthy, you may be able to get your coverage for even less.Shop around to find a medical plan that may have higher deductibles but that require lower monthly premiums.

7. Ask permission - Every year people are stuck footing the bill for thousands of dollars of medical expenses that they thought were covered under their insurer.Avoid this costly mistake by getting pre-approval for referrals, hospital visits, lab tests, and just about anything else that you are not sure will be picked up by your insurance.

8. Denied? Fight back - There is an appeals process to just about every insurance claim.Make sure that you follow the appeal process guidelines precisely and keep a record of everything including who you talked to and when.

9. Certificate of credible coverage - A certificate of credible coverage shows your future insurer that you have had past insurance coverage.If you do not have proof of credible coverage or fail to sign up for a new policy within 63 days or insurers can legally turn you down or refuse to cover pre-existing conditions.

10. Flexible spending - If you have a flex-spending account you know that you have got to use it or lose it.In order to avoid wasting your flex-spending money, calculate past year's medical expenses and use that as an estimate for how much to contribute to the account in the current year.Then spread out medical appointments as best you can throughout the year so you know how close you are to meeting your limit well before you reach the end of your flexible spending deadline.