We’re in the midst of a healthcare cost crisis. Each year, millions of people go without health insurance. And it doesn’t seem like it’s going anywhere soon.
Often, this is because affordable plans have outrageous deductibles. Then, having insurance, you can use costs for an arm and a leg. The average family plan costs almost half of the average annual American salary. How many families can afford that?
Not surprisingly, people are looking for lower-priced alternatives. And honestly, some may be better and more cost-effective than others. With these challenges in mind, let’s look at lower-cost options for traditional healthcare.
1. Subscription Services
Subscription services connect you with a reliable network of virtually-available physicians. Through this alternative to traditional healthcare, you can save a lot of money on the same level of care.
They also often offer more transparent pricing than traditional care. So you know exactly what you’re paying for. This allows you to make smart money decisions regarding managing your health.
Maybe you have an established chronic condition that requires ongoing management. Or you don’t want to miss your annual checkups because you’re short on money. Either way, seeing an online doctor through these services can provide the answer.
2. Cost-Sharing Plans
Cost-sharing plans group individuals together. They then share their healthcare costs. Instead of one person getting a massive bill, the community supports each member by paying a portion. Often, these plans negotiate with doctors to get lower rates for their members, making this even more cost-effective.
It’s important to note that many such plans are built around an existing community. Some may be faith-based, non-profit-related, or career-specific. You may need to be a member of that group to join and may have to follow the group’s rules. But it’s certainly worth considering whether this arrangement is available for you.
3. Prioritizing Everyday Health
“Healthcare” shouldn’t be something you only get when you go to a doctor. Healthcare is something you engage in every single day. You do so when you choose a health-promoting rather than a health-diminishing lifestyle.
First of all, your diet matters. What you eat and how much it can significantly impact your overall health. Of course, there’s a lot of mixed information about what is and is not healthy in the nutrition world. But do your best. Learn what you can. Please pay attention to how your body feels and what’s happening over time. Then adapt.
Getting sufficient physical activity is always a tried-and-true method for promoting health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise (fast walking) or 75 minutes of intense (running) during a week. To this, you should add some strength training.
Flexibility will keep you feeling younger and more extended. You’ll move around more efficiently and with less pain. The CDC also recommends actively working to maintain your flexibility as you age.
That said, it’s an admirable goal not to need traditional healthcare as an alternative. But it’s important to realize that you are likely to need some doctor-provided healthcare in your life. It’s essential to explore other options as well.
4. Mental Emotional Self-Care
Mental health impacts physical health. So making sure you take care of yourself mentally and emotionally is a lower-cost alternative to some of the traditional healthcare you currently need.
Managing stress, anger, fear, sadness, jealousy, and disappointment effectively can help you live a healthier, more balanced life. At the very least, like many of these, it complements traditional healthcare. It makes that care more effective and can save you money on that care.
Do you have medical conditions closely linked to mental health, like high blood pressure, early-stage dementia, chronic fatigue, autoimmune diseases, or fibromyalgia? Prioritizing caring for yourself mentally and emotionally can impact the trajectory of your diagnosis.
5. Alternative Medicine
Alternative medicine can undoubtedly be considered a lower-cost alternative to traditional healthcare. However, the efficacy of treatments isn’t always apparent. Many alternative therapies have been scientifically studied more extensively than you might think.
In well-performed studies, scientists have been unable to show many of these worked better than a placebo. Or they were much less effective than traditional medicines already available.
With that said, you shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Some alternative medicine treatments may be effective. They do have some anecdotal evidence that may suggest they work for some people.
Most, not all, of these “medicines” are probably harmless. However, some are the opposite of low cost. So, if you are tempted to pay a lot of money for an alternative medicine treatment, realize that the scientifically-backed traditional treatment would probably be more effective.
6. Managing Chronic Conditions with Lifestyle Changes
This is certainly not to suggest you should stop seeing your doctor if you have a chronic condition. But let’s say you currently have a chronic diagnosable disorder. When your online doctor says “there is no cure” for your situation, they mean that modern medicine doesn’t have a cure. They can’t just fix it with a pill.
Most medical providers recognize that you can impact the severity and existence of your condition’s symptoms. From hypertension to diabetes, you can reverse many medical conditions through lifestyle changes. If you’re struggling to afford medical care, this is certainly a route you can take to reduce your need for some of the more expensive medical treatments associated with your condition.
You should always speak with your doctor before reducing or stopping any prescribed medicines or treatments.
Finding Lower-Cost Alternatives to Traditional Healthcare
When faced with outrageous healthcare costs, it pays to shop for alternatives to traditional healthcare. You do have options. It would help if you didn’t have to settle for overpriced, less-than-transparent healthcare.
These are some viable considerations, from online doctors to take better care of yourself to reducing doctor trips.
