The above is a headline on a recent news feature published by Bloomberg, a major publisher in the business and financial market sectors. According to the feature’s authors, 39 percent of large employers offer only high-deductible plans, up from 7 percent in 2009, according to a survey by the National Business Group on Health.

Half of all workers now have health insurance with a deductible of at least $1,000 for an individual, up from 22 percent in 2009, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation. About 41 percent say they can’t pay a $400 emergency expense without borrowing or selling something, according to the Federal Reserve.

Independent medical providers can save you money

With 50 percent of those in the workforce having that size of a deductible (if not larger), people need to become more and more diligent about ways they can save money on health services without sacrificing or skimping on quality of care. There are numerous opportunities to do so.

How? Here are four suggestions.

  • Choose an independent medical provider. Select a physician who has their own private practice.
  • Choose a lab that can perform blood tests and analysis that is independent of the hospital.
  • Choose stand-alone therapy and treatment centers free of hospitals.
  • And of course, choose the independent imaging center that touts the same – if not better – quality as area hospitals but almost always for far less cost: Capitol Imaging Services.

Independent medical providers play an even more crucial role in today’s healthcare as they are an excellent alternative to exorbitant hospital fees and charges. Many articles and news stories have been published and aired that repeatedly show how expensive healthcare services are at hospitals, here and across the United States.

Hospitals definitely play an important role with in-patient care. But, when it is not urgent or an emergency, there is no reason to pay more when you don’t have to. DIS has saved people large amounts of money when compared with hospitals in southeast Louisiana.

All it takes is some time, diligence and patience. Put the work in before you have your office visit, your blood drawn or your diagnostic test completed.

We believe you’ll be very happy with the time spent. In the area of screening and diagnostic testing, choose Capitol Imaging Services: doctor trusted and patient preferred.