What You Should Know
Discount card programs get the full support of seniors because they help them cut health care costs, but many seniors are finding all of these cards are not the same. Some card programs only cover medicine the card issuer manufactures while others only work at one pharmacy or chain of pharmacies. Others cover a wide range of medical and health expenses at more than one pharmacy, at doctors' offices and dental offices and for the whole family.
Here are some things seniors should ask about any discount card they are considering:
Does the card cover preexisting conditions?
Does the card provide unlimited coverage?
Does the card cover dental expenses?
Does the card cover eye care?
Does the card cover hearing exams and hearing aids?
Does the card have a toll free number and a Web site to provide customer service?
Does the card cover your family or just you?
Health care experts suggest that seniors should
use recent medical and health care expenses to see how much money they
can save with different discount cards. Some programs, like HealthSaver,
also offer discounts on products and services not usually covered by health
insurance, such as vitamins, weight loss programs, dietary supplements,
and anti-smoking products.
To help people lower their cost of health
care, a new Web site, www.healthsaverclub.com,
has been created. The service provides consumers with savings on prescriptions,
doctors visits, medical tests, dental care, and eye care without ever having
to meet any deductible or fill out paperwork.
Discounts off usual and customary rates
range from 10 percent to 50 percent off prescriptions, five percent to
40 percent off dental fees, and 35 to 50 percent off manufacturers' suggested
retail price on eyeglasses.
Rx for savings-Seniors should use recent
medical and health care expenses to judge how much money they can save
with different discount cards.
