Saving Money On Healthcare

By Samantha Andersons.anderson@krdo.com

EL PASO COUNTY – As the economy cuts into our budget, most of us are trying to cut corners. But putting your health on the back burner is a huge risk.

Shopping around for health insurance and a primary care doctor is the first place to start. “The most cost effective care is a primary doctor,” said Dr. John Torrent, Medical Director at Memorial Urgent Care. Dr. Torrent says costs aren’t set in stone and you shouldn’t be afraid to negotiate. “Explain to them money is an issue and if they can keep the number of test down, costs down, most doctor’s will work with patients,” stated Dr. John Torrent.

Another measure to keep sickness from leaving a scar on your finances is hospital nurse lines. “People who have a health condition and they don’t know if maybe they can treat it at home or if they need to see a physician,” said Charlotte Waters, Director of Memorial HealthLink. “They can speak to a nurse first, get some advice before shelling out that co-pay.” And the cost is free.

If you don’t have a primary care physician or just simple can’t get an appointment, doctors recommend using urgent care over the emergency room, if it’s not a life threatening issue. “Urgent care costs are probably about half of the average ER costs,” stated Dr. Torrent. On average, it will cost you about $150 for an urgent care visit and $1000 for the emergency room. “We can provide a lot of the same services as the ER at a lower cost and less waiting time.”

The savings continues once your doctor writes you a prescription. El Paso County will soon be offering prescription drug discount cards. “This is extremely important to offer especially in tough economic times,” said El Paso County Commissioner Sallie Clark. Clark says there’s an estimated 80,000 El Paso County residents who are uninsured or underinsured. These cards are honored by more than 50 pharmacies in El Paso County and accepted at 59,000 locations nationwide. The discount card provides a savings from 20-25% on prescription medications. There is no cost to the county, county taxpayers or consumers to participate in the program. There’s also no enrollment form, no membership fee and no restrictions on frequency of use. These cards will be available this summer and distributed at all El Paso County municipalities. County Commissioners are inviting area school districts, fire departments, cities, businesses and pharmacies to make them available at their facilities as well.

The simplest way to save is going back to the basics. “Taking care of yourself, keeping healthy by washing hands, eating right foods, getting enough sleep and being an informed consumer,” Waters stated. Preventative annual checkups and participation in screenings, such as mammograms, colonoscopys and immunizations, can find minor health issues before they require major expensive procedures.

On Saturday, September 26th, there will be a FREE Community Prostate Cancer Screening.

Peak Vista Family Health Center 8am-11:30am 225 S. Union Blvd Pre-registration-444-CARE

ASK-A-NURSE 776-5555

Find a doctor Health Questions Community Resources

Healthlink 444-CARE

Nurse Advice Physician Referral Wellness Classes

Memorial Urgent Care 365-2888

8890 N. Union 2502 E. Pikes Peak

Penrose Community Urgent Care 776-3216

3205 N. Academy