So Why Aren’t There Black Friday Deals on Co-Pays?

So while talking to the Biz Ninja over the weekend, he posed to me this question (tongue-in-cheek!), Why aren’t there any Black Friday deals on co-pays? Which got me thinking about the question…

Now, of course, if you were to pose this question to most doctors, they would probably respond that they really don’t have much control over co-pays. You would really have to talk to your health insurance about anything like your premiums, deductibles and co-pays and Good luck with that! (No seriously, good luck with that. It’s still open enrollment season so now the time to talk to your health insurance about all things payment.)

But in case you don’t have any luck with your health insurer in cutting your charges, we do suggest that you ask your doctor about cutting your out-of-pocket charges. We know it’s no 50% off Black Friday Sale, but based on all the Groupon, LivingSocial, and other coupon-site offers we’ve been getting for check-ups, dental cleanings, chiropractor visits, etc., we bet there’s some good room for negotiation with your doctor if you just ask.

We know, we know, but most of us are embarrassed to ask our doctors about discounts, but the reality is most doctors are all-too-aware that patients are having trouble paying their medical bills these days. And honestly, having the conversation upfront is far less embarrassing than having to talk about it after the bill arrives. You may be able to get your medical care discounted, especially if you are uninsured or have to pay for it out-of-pocket. If your doctor isn’t familiar with the dollars and cents of billing, try having the conversation with whoever is in charge of it at their office.

Have you talked to your doctor about a discount? Tell us about it!

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