Tips to help ease the pain of medical expenses

Are you bogged down with new medical bills? Health care  expenses are most common in the first few months of the year, with a median payment of $1,143, The Washington Post reports.

Tips from The Post story on managing the budget strain:

• Save. Big expenses are easier to bear when you have some emergency savings. The best way is save is to start small. Automate your saving and try not to touch it. Other steps include bundling your care to reach your deductibles sooner, staying within your health insurance network and asking for a cost estimate. Online services such as Amino can offer free estimates of many common health care procedures.

• Verify. Read and review all bills carefully, as almost half of medical bills contain errors. Make sure the bill covers only service you received.

• Seek Aid. If you can’t pay the bill, ask for help. Hospitals will often negotiate the amount or set up a payment plan. There are also many nonprofit organizations that help people manage medical expenses.

Have you struggled with medical bills? Share your story with Voices for Affordable Health and visit our Resources Page for more options.