How to Reduce Healthcare Costs All Year Long

Published September 2019

You work hard for your money, and you want to save as much of it as possible. Health care for you and your family shouldn’t be a hole in your wallet. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care is more than just an insurance plan. We offer tools, programs, and insights for members to stay healthy while saving as much as possible—from New Year’s through the holidays.

Save on your New Year’s resolution

Did you make a New Year’s resolution to lose a few pounds? You get more than fitness benefits when you join a gym. Individuals belonging to qualified health and fitness clubs save up to $150 every year for themselves or up to $300 per family for dependents covered under a Harvard Pilgrim plan. Along with these cost savings, you can leverage Harvard Pilgrim’s wellbeing program, powered by Limeade, to help you maintain your resolutions and achieve your fitness and personal goals.

Beat the cold

The cold, dreary days of the winter and early spring can make it difficult to even think about leaving the house. Fortunately, you can stay inside and still receive medical support. Use your phone, tablet, or computer to virtually visit a board-certified doctor through Doctor On Demand. In fact, some Harvard Pilgrim plans cover Doctor On Demand Urgent Care visits in full.

Warm up to savings

Does spring have you thinking about your summer getaway plans? Save more money on medical procedures to put toward travel expenses using Harvard Pilgrim’s cost comparison tool. For those members on a plan that has a deductible, it can help you find providers that provide services for a lower cost, but still deliver quality care. Our tool helps you estimate costs for more than 800 services. You can also compare prices for as many as four health care providers at the same time.

If you’re looking to add to your summer vacation fund, get rewarded for making smart choices about how to shop for your health care services. Some Harvard Pilgrim plans include our Reduce My Costs program. This voluntary program helps you save money when you receive care at a lower-cost facility for many kinds of outpatient medical procedures and tests. In some cases, rewards are given for making a phone call to the Reduce My Costs team, and you may even receive a monetary reward when you switch to a lower-cost health care provider.

Fall back on urgent care

From football games to pumpkin carving, unexpected minor injuries are common as the weather turns colder. But instead of visiting your local emergency room, try a visit to your neighborhood urgent care. Urgent care clinics are usually faster and more affordable than other health care options. Don’t want to make the drive? Some urgent care issues can even be addressed through a telemedicine visit with Doctor On Demand. And if you’re unsure whether you should see a doctor, tools like Buoy help take the guess work out of your care. Check your symptoms, get detailed answers, and make a plan for getting the care you need.