TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The experts at Med-Vision, LLC are called upon daily to provide health data analytics and health plan risk management for self-funded employers combatting rising healthcare costs. Although in this era of painfully high deductibles and widespread medical inflation, employers are increasingly investing in healthcare consumer education to lower overall health costs and to help employees reduce out-of-pocket expenses.
Self-care through a healthy lifestyle and preventative measures can be touted as the wisest investment. Physical and emotional wellbeing can help you avoid high-cost medical expenses associated with chronic conditions and diseases.
“Even if you are a model of good health, you’ll need to be savvy in navigating your health plan to ensure you receive quality care,” said Regina Novak, Med-Vision’s senior health educator, and author of Med-Vision’s School of Wellness article series.
Novak, who has a Masters’ of Public Health degree, offers the following tips:
- Understand your plan. Review services offered and be sure you’re receiving the preventive care offered under paid premiums. Become well versed on your out-of-pocket obligations including co-pays, coinsurance, and annual deductibles to avoid surprises.
- Discuss alternative options with your physician. Ask about generic drugs, request free samples, and discuss home-treatment options.
- Don’t waste time and money at the ER. When a doctor is not feasible or appropriate, consider a walk-in-clinic or urgent care center for non-emergencies.
- Review healthcare bills. Inspect just as you would a restaurant bill. Billing mistakes do occur.
- Shop around – you’re the customer. Price variations run rampant in healthcare, and the highest price doesn’t always mean the highest quality.
In addition to providing wellness and health education services, Med-Vision connects clients with other firms specializing in healthcare consumer support. Texas-based ACAP Health Consulting offers consumer advocacy services that help individuals make educated treatment decisions. The service’s Health Pros have access to price transparency tools and data to compare the cost of services regionally, which helps patients understand options, choose doctors, review bills, and save money.
A 2012 report issued by Thomson Reuters estimated $36 billion could be saved annually if the 108 million Americans with employer-sponsored insurance did comparison pricing on common medical procedures.
Founded in 2005, Med-Vision delivers health plan risk management and wellness strategies to help employer groups achieve optimal employee health and productivity. In 2012, Med-Vision launched a proprietary healthcare data analysis tool, www.med-view.net, to help employers identify and mitigate health risks. Med-Vision caters to the needs of self-funded employer plan sponsors and impacts health plan members across the nation. Med-Vision has helped corporations, healthcare facilities, municipalities, and school districts to reduce risk, reverse trends, and decrease healthcare costs while increasing quality of care for their employees. For more information, visit www.med-vision.com or call 813-205-1577.