Medical assistance is expensive, and navigating the health insurance maze can be intimidating. It never goes away and needs to be planned for. Being more responsible for your own medical care at home is a good way to control your healthcare costs and have more say about the kind of medical care you receive.
You can do many things to better prepare for an illness or injury at home. It does not take a lot of money to get started, and it will be money well spent.
The Challenges of Home Medical Care
Medications are expensive. Even if you get prescription drug coverage through your insurance, you can still get stuck with co-pays and deductibles. You may have to pay out of pocket if your medical plan does not cover all the medications, you need or if it does not cover all the conditions you take (such as taking asthma medication during a flu epidemic).
Your own health is an important factor in a successful recovery from an illness or injury because it affects how well your body heals and helps your body fight against infection. You can do a lot to help yourself heal faster and feel better.
Tips For Making the Most of Home Medical Care
Fill Your First Aid Cabinet
Keeping your first aid cabinet fully stocked with high-quality first aid kit supplies is a great way to keep your medical costs down and prepare for emergencies.
Your first aid kit should include emergency medicine, bandages and dressings, gauze, alcohol swabs, and tweezers for removing splinters and ticks at a minimum. If you have any allergies or specific health issues requiring special treatment (such as diabetes or heart problems), include the necessary equipment in your first aid kit.
A basic medical supply kit provides a list of items you can use to dress wounds, treat injuries and other common medical situations. Having one at home, in your car, and at work is a good idea.
Stay Informed and Learn First Aid Skills
Keeping up with recent medical developments allows you to be involved in decisions about your healthcare and gives you the tools you need to deal with an emergency effectively. For example, learning first aid skills (such as CPR) will help you become more confident in dealing with medical emergencies at home or while traveling.
You may want to consider adding some alternative medicine knowledge to your quiver of skills. Knowing which herbs and weeds can heal (and which can kill) in an emergency may be a skill that could save a life.
Consider A Home Medical Plan
Many medical plans offer a discount on medications and discounts on hospital charges. Ask your pharmacy or primary care doctor about this when you choose an insurance provider.
Even with these discounts, you still need to keep your medications under control and the cost down by choosing the cheapest options and buying generic drugs. If you have a chronic condition, use your plan’s prescription drug coverage as much as possible to keep costs down.
