Rising Health care costs :(

The point I would like to make here is that the health care cost is increasing YoY & there is no limit to it. It all depends on where you go. If you visit a big hospital the charges are high. Visit the same Dr. in his private clinic, he would probably charge 30% less :). I remember paying Rs. 50 for consultation in Bangalore in 2000. Now the same Dr. charges Rs. 250. Yes its all about inflation. Everybody needs to cope up with that.

My personal suggestions :

• Visit the personal clinic of the Dr. instead of the Big Hospital(if possible)
• Try to maintain a family Dr., so that he does not put you into unnecessary tests/medication.(I remember going for a neck pain to a Dr. & he asked me to do MRI(Rs.6000) as it was available in the same hospital he was consulting !!)
  
• For Pathology Tests, try to visit the nearest pathology lab, instead of doing it via the hospital pathology lab.(You will be surprised !!)
• Give importance to convenience(because you are sick), but lets not hospital take advantage of it.
• Try to ask around in your network before you visit the Dr. for Special consultation like Orthopedic, Skin etc .. Your friends can refer to a good Dr.