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YIKES! My health insurance is going up again! What in the world is going on? Well, when
it comes to health insurance we're looking at a perfect storm. Like the movie? No, like
chronic conditions, the cost of caring for an aging population, new medical technology,
cost of prescription drugs, and an increase in fees charged by doctors and hospitals.
And don't even ask about obesity. Oh, I can't help it. What about obesity? Well, it's alarming.
Obesity related medical costs are predicted to account for twenty-one percent of health
care costs by 2018. Wow! I know I'm just one person but what can I do to keep costs from
continuing to rise? Well, besides staying in good shape, you can be a smart consumer
of health care. What does that mean? That means making informed decisions about doctors,
hospitals, medications and treatments. The information is out there to help you find
the best places for care and treatment. Tools, like my health care cost estimator are designed
to help you review treatment options, compare estimated costs for various providers and
facilities and review their quality designation information. Got it. What else? You can also
find out if your company offers an HSA or FSA. HF what? Yeah, they are ways to reduce
your out-of-pocket costs. HSAs and FSAs are tax advantaged accounts funded by you using
pre-tax dollars. I don't get why I have to pay more. Why can't my company cover the increases?
I'm sure your company is also paying more for your coverage. A perfect storm spares
no one from paying.