Here's a way to save money on your medical expenses -- buy your own equipment and medicine. The details from Money magazine:
Hospitals charge a significant markup on equipment like crutches or braces, so you're almost always better off buying them on your own.
No kidding! It's the same thing as buying a Coke at a football stadium -- you can pay $3 for 20 oz. there or $1 for two liters at your local store.
I had a friend tell me that the same applies for some medicines (obviously not all -- and not even most.) In her case, the hospital had prescribed the equivalent of Advil (or some similar pain reliever) and was going to charge her roughly $4 a pill. She asked if she could just buy it at her local store and the nurse said "sure." She got the same response when they tried to sell her bandages at a huge mark-up versus what she would pay for them at Wal-mart or Walgreen's.
maybe this was why tom cruise bought his own sonogram machine? ;)
cheers,
smg*
Posted by: smallbizgurl* | January 04, 2007 at 03:04 AM
It depends on who's paying for the items. There are no good measures of what things cost during a hospital stay. Basically whatever they can get away with.
I could comment on the Tom Cruise thing but I want to keep FMF's site family-friendly. ;)
Posted by: mbhunter | January 05, 2007 at 01:01 AM
I have personally found shopping online to be a great way to save. Especially if you subscribe to a newsletter that will give you great daily offers and deals, such as Dealsaver.com. They may list everything from toys to househol items to clothes to tires for your car, but you can just scan through and see what applies to you!
Posted by: Arlene | February 11, 2008 at 05:40 PM