have any of you found any loopholes or ingenious ways to cover or offset medical costs. (Aside from the usual donating plasma…lol) I personally have voulenteered time to work down perticular debts, or offered services in exchange. This dosent always work, and less so now a days, but at one time this wasn't as unheard of as you may think. But times change. And so must we, so what's the new hack the 'cool kids' are doing these days? An old soul is asking for a friend 
@Jesse - I'm not too sure about "supplementing" medical costs, but I was once a medical biller and here's what I learned: once you receive your bill from the hospital bill, the amount will be really large. Ask for an itemized bill.
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I've occasionally ordered my own lab tests online. For some tests, the cost of the test can be much less than I would pay out of pocket for a doctor's visit to get the order. I forward the results to my doctor and if it's fine they usually don't need to see me so I save the cost of the visit. This is not for diagnosis, but for a known condition that needs to be checked on now and then.
If you pay $5 a month on a hospital bill they can’t turn it over to collections.
I'm on Medicare and a fixed income which has allowed me to apply for Charity care programs at different hospitals and some clinics which either wiped out my portion of the large Bill's or cut it in half or more and then was able to set up a reasonable monthly payment plan with the hospital or clinic.
Take excellent care of yourself to avoid medical care/bills, eat healthy foods, exercise and manage stress. Use home remedies for ailments. This is a great site for natural medicine earthclinic.com
I agree with Cat B. that the best way is to take care of your body.
Did you know that if you are 65+ on Medicare that you may qualify for a program called MSP in California? Medicare Savings Program pays the premium that Medicare recipients pay monthly. It may also qualify you for the Extra Help program which pays a portion of your Part D prescription plan premium and drug co-pays. Depending on income level, you may also qualify for senior Medi-Cal which pays for the portion not paid by Medicare. Start by applying through your county social services department. Look for similar programs in other states. Use the money not needed for medical expenses to grow your savings account. Do you have a six-month living expense emergency fund yet?
Helpful.
Thank you all.
Prospective customers of some insurance companies for certain types of coverage can get free basic health and medical testing (before they commit to coverage). Similar arrangements are made by some employers for certain types of jobs. I'm not sure how honest this is if you aren't seriously considering an insurance policy or employment so I will leave it at that.
If you have a HDHP saving for medical expenses through an HSA can be very beneficial… especially because of the triple tax benefits.
Access if your need to go to a doctor is justified. If you have a rash could you do a virtual visit instead or send a free email to your doctor.
Look into prescription co pay reimbursement. Many drug manufacturers offer financial assistance or copay reimbursement.
If you mean ways to save on bills, no, you just have to pay them.
I do try to eat healthy. I do try to take my medications. I do try to exercise. I do try to keep medical visits. I do try to stay connected with family and friends.
try to get a job in a foreign country with better insurance, Canada and Japan are supposedly very good.
I think it is important to try to eat healthy and exercise.
Some clinics or hospitals offer a sliding scale program based on income.
Ok
Always ask your doctor, hospital, whatever, if they have any programs for low-income clients. The largest healthcare system in my area doesn't make you pay anything if you make less than a certain amount–I think the cap is $50,000. You just fill out a short form, and they don't ask any questions. It's available whether you have insurance or not. Another medical group offers no-interest payment plans with low monthly payments. If you need meds, check with GoodRx or Amazon Pharmacy. AARP also has an Rx program.
following
This isn't a way to supplement, but I think it's something everyone should know. My mom fell and broke her shoulder, and the bill was over $10,000. The insurance company definitely owed the money, but they refused to pay it. My parents had money and were very old-school and weren't comfortable owing anyone, so they paid the $10k thinking they'd get it back when the insurance company saw their error. However, the insurance company kept dragging their feet. They'd ask for copies of this or that, which we'd send; and then they'd ask for something else. We kept jumping through their hoops for over a year. My sister and I made dozens of phone calls on their behalf because my parents weren't capable of doing it themselves. Finally, after more than a year of fighting, they sent a check out of the blue. I later found out from someone who works for an insurance company that this is common practice. Insurance companies often deny payment for high-ticket bills and then play games like that because they know that most people will give up. They wait about a year, and if they still haven't given up, then they'll pay. It's absolutely disgusting, and I worry about all the elderly people who can't fend for themselves having to deal with things like that. Their first mistake was paying the bill at all.
Not yet
D
