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Wellness Wednesday - Advocating Healthcare Consumer

Be an advocate and a wise healthcare consumer

Here are some ways you can become a better healthcare consumer for yourself and your family.  It’s best to have these things in place before you actually need them.

  • Select a primary healthcare provider who will help manage your healthcare needs if you don’t already have one
  • Thoroughly understand your health & wellness benefits that are provided to you under your health insurance plan
  • Take an active role in your own care by asking important questions, advocating for yourself, discussing treatment and non-drug options, getting a second opinion if need be, etc.
  • Get familiar with preventive screenings, routine tests and immunizations that you should get throughout your stages of life to stay informed and possible provide early detection of health risks
  • Develop a list of medications and create a personal health record and keep it current at all times
  • Know where the urgent care centers are and if they participate in your insurance
  • Be savvy with your healthcare dollars.  Know who the medical providers are in your network, understand the financial components of your health insurance plan, lean about the discounts that are available to you within your health insurance plan, use generic medications when advised by your physician, research different pharmacies and see what discounts they may offer.

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