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Cut Your Health Care Bills

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The best way to keep your medical costs low is to stay healthy by eating a healthful diet, exercising regularly, maintaining an appropriate weight, not smoking, and making other healthy lifestyle choices. Along with those important steps, here are some tips to help lower your medical bills:


Practice self-care If you are in general good health, you can treat a cold, diarrhea, headaches, and muscle aches and pains with over-the-counter medications. Also, you can call our 24-hour Blue Care LineSM at 1-888-247-BLUE (2583), and speak to a registered nurse about how to care for yourself at home.
Get health screenings Screenings can help your doctor find diseases such as cancer early, so ask your doctor to schedule preventive health screenings (e.g., mammograms) for your age-related and personal health risks.
Save the emergency room for real emergencies The ER can cost four to five times more than a doctor's office. So unless it is unavoidable, consider visiting an urgent care clinic or your doctor.
Manage expenses Ask if simple medical tests or screenings, such as a blood pressure check, can be done without a full office visit charge.
Save on medications Ask for generic drugs, as they work the same as name brands but usually cost much less.

Read more about ways to cut your health care bills.