Even in the wake of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, healthcare costs rise, costing more and more Americans an increased portion of their paychecks. Yet, even in the wake of an act designed to make healthcare more affordable across the board, the innovative people of the U.S. are forever on the lookout for new and improved ways to pay for their healthcare services, and even if they have insurance. Here is a look at a few up and coming payment methods that Americans are using to make their healthcare more affordable for their wallet, their budgets and their lives.
Sliding fee clinics
Over the past few years doctors and providers wanting to opt out of the general insurance racket can opt in for a new pay for service model using sliding fee clinics. These types of clinics allow patients to pay what they can afford based on a model using their income as a guideline. However, using these services means the patient has to provide proof of his or her income upon request so the office staff knows what to charge these patients.These types of clinics, and fee-for-service clinics offer patients a substantial savings off traditional healthcare costs.
Bundled services
Other providers offer patients a arrangement, giving patients an opportunity to provide a fixed monthly payment to a healthcare provider under a fee for service model. This works particularly well for individuals who are uninsured or underinsured, and makes healthcare costs an affordable part of just about any monthly budget.
Healthcare savings accounts
Another popular option for healthcare payments comes in the form of healthcare savings accounts. These accounts take pre-tax dollars and put them into a tax sheltered account that earns interest the longer it sits unused. When a patient has a qualified medical expense, he or she can file a claim against the account to pay for his or her healthcare services. This model has been proven effective for patients who carry high deductible medical plans or individuals who are underinsured.
While these new ways to pay for healthcare costs have yet to be measured as effective or efficient as traditional insurance – especially employer sponsored insurance – it is nice to know that patients today have a plethora of payment options available to them when it comes to getting the care they need at a price they can afford.