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WHAT CAN YOU DO?   

There are many factors that contribute to the rising cost of medical care. Consumers, healthcare providers and insurers can work together to control many of these factors.

Learn about the simple choices you can make that can help you stay healthy and help keep healthcare affordable:

• Eat Responsibly

• Practice Safety/Prevention

• Manage Chronic Disease

• Step Up Physical Activity

• Save the ER for Emergencies

• Request Generic Drugs

• Develop an Ongoing Relationship with Your Physician

Eat Responsibly

Did you know...

• Being overweight or obese, and the associated health problems, costs Americans more than $100 billion in healthcare expenses each year ⁷

• Today, more than 60 percent of adults nation-wide are overweight or obese ⁸

• The number of young people who are overweight has almost doubled in the last 20 years for children aged 6-11 and almost tripled for adolescents aged 12-19 ⁹

Your doctor can help determine if you are overweight or obese. There are things you can do that will improve your health and help save healthcare dollars for all Americans.

Talk with your doctor to devise a balanced diet that is rich in fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. A balanced diet will help you feel better and help prevent the onset of chronic health problems such as Type 2 diabetes, asthma and coronary artery disease. Eating responsibly will also help control the rising cost of healthcare for all of us.

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Practice Safety/Prevention

Each year, millions of Americans are rushed to emergency rooms to receive treatment for often-serious injuries that could have been prevented.

Did you know...

• Each year in America, the failure of crash victims to wear seat belts leads to an estimated 9,200 unnecessary deaths and 143,000 needless injuries, resulting in $26 billion in healthcare costs ¹⁰

• Wearing bicycle helmets would prevent an estimated 500 bicycle-related fatalities and 151,000 nonfatal head injuries each year, and would save more than $3 billion in healthcare costs ¹¹  

Simply buckling a seat belt, strapping on a bicycle helmet or ensuring that children use proper athletic equipment and receive necessary training could prevent thousands of accidental deaths and injuries annually. And taking these steps can save billions of dollars in unnecessary medical expenses and help keep healthcare affordable.

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Manage Chronic Disease

We've all heard that Americans are too heavy. What many people may not realize, however, is that being overweight or obese - and the associated health problems, like type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease - has a substantial impact on the cost of healthcare in America.

Did you know...

• Between 1995 and 2000, the total national costs attributed to obesity rose $18 billion, from $99 billion to $117 billion¹²

• Most of the cost associated with obesity is due to Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and hypertension -- preventable conditions that cost billions of dollars each year¹³

What can you do?

• Talk with your doctor to make sure that you are eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly - just 30 minutes each day of moderate physical activity improves health. Doing so can help prevent the onset of obesity, diabetes, congestive heart failure and other chronic illnesses

Working with your doctor to prevent or manage chronic conditions is good for your health, and will help control the rise of healthcare costs.

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Step Up Physical Activity

The benefits of regular physical activity are many - we look better, we feel better, and our overall health can improve. And that's not all - by exercising regularly we can help control the rise of healthcare costs for everyone.

Did you know...

• Increasing regular moderate physical activity among the more than 88 million inactive Americans over the age of 15 might reduce annual healthcare costs by as much as $76.6 billion ¹⁴

• Being physically inactive significantly increases the risk of developing many chronic diseases and conditions such as heart disease, stroke, colon cancer, diabetes, obesity, arthritis and osteoporosis. Healthcare costs related to these conditions total more than $600 billion nationally ¹⁵
   

All you need is 30 minutes of moderate physical exercise every day, and you could improve your personal health while helping control the rising cost of healthcare for everyone.

• Talk with your doctor to find the best way to add physical activity to your daily routine

• Check with a local community center, senior center, school or church for free or low-cost exercise classes and athletic activities

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Save the ER for Emergencies

Ever wonder why emergency room waiting areas always seem filled with people waiting for hours to get care? One of the major reasons is that millions of Americans each year use emergency rooms for routine medical care.

Emergency room treatment for non-emergency medical conditions is also a major contributor to the rising cost of healthcare. On average, emergency room visits cost $383, while doctor's office visits cost about $60.¹⁶  On top of the huge waste of money and medical resources, the true tragedy is this: You can usually get more appropriate care for non-emergency conditions in a doctor's office.

Your personal physician will help you determine when the emergency room is the right choice.

• If your situation isn't an emergency, check with your doctor first before going to the ER

• If you experience a medical problem outside of normal doctors' hours and are unsure whether you require emergency care, call your doctor

• If you cannot contact a physician, then go to an urgent care center

Limit trips to the emergency room to true emergencies - urgent or life-threatening medical problems - and build a relationship with a primary-care physician for routine care. It's a healthy way to keep healthcare affordable.

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Request Generic Drugs

Americans are using more prescription drugs to manage health conditions and prevent problems than ever before, and those drugs are more expensive than ever before.

Did you know...

• There were 10.4 prescriptions written for every man, woman, and child in America last year, costing $155 billion ¹⁷

• The amount we spend on drugs increases nearly ¹⁵ percent every year, and is one of the main reasons the cost of healthcare is increasing ¹⁸

• The generic drug typically costs less than one-third the price of the name brand drug -- $72 for a name brand drug, on average, as opposed to $22 for an average generic ¹⁹

• The generic drug is just as effective as the name brand. Both medicines have chemically-identical active ingredients, the same strength and the same dosage

What can you do?

• When you need a prescription drug, ask your doctor or pharmacist if an FDA-approved generic equivalent is available

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Develop an Ongoing Relationship with Your Physician

What's your doctor's name? Too many Americans can't answer that question because they don't have an ongoing relationship with a primary-care physician. Not knowing your doctor can be bad for your health, and it contributes to the rising cost of healthcare.

Did you know...

• One of the major reasons healthcare costs are increasing is that millions of Americans each year use emergency rooms for routine medical care instead of visiting their primary-care physicians

• The average emergency room visit costs $383, while a visit to a physician's office costs only $60 ²⁰

• Poor communication between doctors and patients can result in healthcare-related errors that lead to injuries. These preventable errors cost us all nearly $15 billion each year ²¹

One of the best ways to get the best care and reduce healthcare costs is to know your doctor and make sure he or she knows you. Here are some steps you can take that will help you establish an effective, ongoing relationship with your doctor:

• Make sure that you understand what your doctor is telling you - ask questions, take notes

• Let your doctor know about all medications that you're taking, even over-the-counter medicines and herbal remedies

• Share your medical history and ask about preventive measures you can take to avoid illness or manage diseases

• Keep track of your child's immunizations, making sure that they are given at the right time, with booster shots given at appropriate intervals

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Health Insurance Basics| What Can You Do?