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Few things make me feel as clueless as a bill from my doctor’s office.
I don’t recognize the abbreviations or understand the jargon. I can’t tell when I’m being charged too much. And there’s no screen on the wall, at least not at my doctor’s office, tallying the cost of each extra test I agree to or question I ask.
But, even if you have health insurance as I do, medical bills can spiral quickly, eating up savings or in extreme cases leading to bankruptcy. Here are ways to protect yourself throughout the process.
Choosing doctors and hospitals
Even people who studiously comparison-shop for their digital camera or winter coat don’t always realize they should do the same for medical services. Prices can vary significantly.
“You can get an MRI on one side of the street that will cost you $2,000, and the exact same MRI on the other side of the street will cost $4,000,” says Dr. Neel Shah, executive director of Costs of Care, a nonprofit that aims to help patients deflate their medical bills.
He isn’t speaking metaphorically. Dr. Jeffrey Rice, CEO of the Healthcare Blue Book, estimates that there’s an average difference of 300 percent to 600 percent between the lowest price and the highest price for any single medical procedure in any U.S. city.
If you’re thinking you needn’t comparison shop because you have insurance, think again. Many insurance plans will still hold you responsible for a portion of the bill in addition to the deductible. And don’t assume that choosing a doctor who’s in your insurance company’s network will solve the problem: Their prices can vary too.
“The biggest problem we see is patients don’t ask about costs before they get their care,” Rice said. “It’s like going to buy a car and deciding afterward that the price was too high.”
You need to call each doctor’s office or hospital you might visit to learn what they charge. The Healthcare Blue Book website, which is free to consumers, can help you figure out what prices might be reasonable. It collects information about the fees doctors accept from insurance companies.
If you’re uninsured, ask about a “self-pay” discount. Doctors often charge less to patients who have to pay out of pocket, but they generally don’t advertise this.
At your visit
Tell your doctor you need to watch what you spend. She might not know the exact cost of each procedure or whether your insurance covers it, but she’ll know the relative value of each test she orders. Maybe she can hold off on a few for a couple of months, until she’s certain you need them. Or, if you need surgery, maybe your doctor can do it at an outpatient facility instead of a hospital.

New data show 1.2 million more children nationwide have health insurance since the reauthorization of CHIP in 2009

More than $296 million was awarded to states for ensuring more children have health coverage, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today.
The performance bonus payments are funded under the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, one of the first pieces of legislation signed into law by President Obama in 2009. To qualify for these bonus payments, states must surpass a specified Medicaid enrollment target. They also must adopt procedures that improve access to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), making it easier for eligible children to enroll and retain coverage.
The bonuses come one week after new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the number of children with insurance increased by 1.2 million since the CHIP reauthorization in 2009. An HHS issue brief notes that this increase has been entirely due to greater enrollment in public programs such as Medicaid and CHIP.
“More children now have the advantages health coverage provides,” Sebelius said. “And parents now have the security of knowing their children can get the health care they need without worrying that an illness could leave them with a lifetime of medical bills.”
Performance bonuses help offset the costs states incur when they enroll lower income children in Medicaid. By ensuring that states streamline their enrollment and renewal procedures, the bonuses also give states the incentive to adopt long-term improvements in their children’s health insurance programs.
“Despite serious fiscal challenges, today’s awards show that children’s health remains a top priority for states,” said Cindy Mann, deputy administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “Not only have more states qualified for performance bonuses than in the past, but many have continued to improve the efficiency of their programs.”
The 23 states eligible for performance bonuses include: Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

If you’re entering the world of individual medical coverage for the first time, you’re not alone. The percentage of firms that offered health benefits to their workers dropped from 69 percent in 2010 to 60 percent in 2011. Individual medical insurance can provide the coverage you need, but finding the right plan for you requires more research and decision-making than simply opting into an employer-paid plan. Whatever the reason you lack health insurance—whether because you’ve lost your job, started your own company or aged out of your parents’ plan — buying individual coverage for the first time can be a daunting experience. Here are some of the most important things you’ll need to know.

1. Your health matters. HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, requires insurers to write even the smallest of employer group plans on a “guaranteed issue” basis. This means that the insurer must accept any small employer group that applies for coverage, regardless of the group members’ health status or claims history. All employees have to do is enroll when they first become eligible, or during the plan’s annual open enrollment period. Individual insurance works differently. Insurers underwrite these plans on an individual basis, so it will consider your current health and health history. If you have a pre-existing health condition, your insurer can exclude coverage for it or even refuse to issue a policy.

2. Your timing matters. If your existing group coverage (whether COBRA or a student health plan) ends soon, you will want to apply for new coverage within 63 days. Why 63 days? HIPAA allows an individual who has group coverage to obtain new coverage with a reduced, or no, exclusion period for pre-existing conditions. This HIPAA protection applies only to insurance applicants who have had continuous “creditable coverage” with no gaps greater than 63 days.

When talking to customers about dental insurance the conversation always comes around to dental health. Below are some of the most common questions about dental health.

How does the food you eat cause tooth decay?

When you eat, food passes through your mouth. Here it meets the germs, or bacteria, that live in your mouth. You may have heard your dentist talk about plaque. Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria.

These bacteria love sugars and starches found in many foods. When you don’t clean your teeth after eating, plaque bacteria use the sugar and starch to produce acids that can destroy the hard surface of the tooth, called enamel. After a while, tooth decay occurs. The more often you eat and the longer foods are in your mouth, the more damage occurs.

How do I choose foods wisely?

Some foods that you would least expect contain sugars or starches. Some examples are fruits, milk, bread, cereals and even vegetables.

The key to choosing foods wisely is not to avoid these foods, but to think before you eat. Not only what you eat but when you eat makes a big difference in your dental health. Eat a balanced diet and limit between-meal snacks. If you are on a special diet, keep your physician’s advice in mind when choosing foods. For good dental health, keep these tips in mind when choosing your meals and snacks.

What are tips for better dental health?

To get a balanced diet, eat a variety of foods. Choose foods from each of the five major food groups:

• breads, cereals and other grain products
• fruits
• vegetables
• meat, poultry and fish
• milk, cheese and yogurt

Limit the number of snacks that you eat. Each time you eat food that contains sugars or starches, the teeth are attacked by acids for 20 minutes or more.
If you do snack, choose nutritious foods, such as cheese, raw vegetables, plain yogurt, or a piece of fruit.