Lawndale Tribune
AND lAwNDAle News
The Weekly Newspaper of Lawndale
Herald Publications - El Segundo, Hawthorne, Lawndale & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 79, No. 4 - January 23, 2020
2020 Census Info Session - We ALL Count!
A complete count of every person living in our community has tremendous benefits for you and for your students, staff, and community members.Each person counted in the census means more money will go to our community for the next 10 years for things like schools,
roads, hospitals and healthcare. RSVP online for the Census 2020 information sessions at http://bit.ly/RSVPcensus. Photo LESD.
Smart Tips To Manage High-Deductible Health Plan Costs
(BPT) - It’s the same issue every year:
Jan. 1 arrives and you need to meet an
annual deductible again before your health
care coverage takes full effect. For people
with high-deductible plans, this can be a big
expense at the start of the year.
High-deductible plans are increasing in
popularity as a way to curb rising health
care premiums. Typically, people are offered
a plan at a lower monthly cost in exchange
for a higher deductible. The IRS defines
a high-deductible health plan as any plan
with a deductible of at least $1,400 for an
individual or $2,800 for a family. For many
people, their deductibles are even higher.
Whether you have a traditional plan or
a high-deductible plan, out-of-pocket costs
often hit people the hardest at the start of the
year when coverage is minimal due to reset
deductibles. Unmet deductibles typically mean
you pay for the full cost of prescriptions,
clinic visits, treatments and more.
Fortunately, there are a few simple ways
to manage the influx of health care costs at
the start of the year so you can save money
and stay healthy:
Budget
Health care deductibles reset annually, so
plan ahead and budget for expected costs.
If you or your family members see a health
care provider regularly, you can anticipate
these expenses and create a budget.
If you have access to pretax savings plans
through an employer, such as a health care
savings account, opt in to save by paying with
untaxed dollars. Additionally, consider setting
some money aside for a rainy-day medical
fund. There are always unexpected expenses
and having this cushion can help curb costs.
Inside Rx
If you need a prescription but currently
have to pay out-of-pocket costs until meeting
your deductible, consider using a free
Inside Rx card to access medication savings.
Inside Rx helps people who need to pay out
of pocket for their medication by offering
discounts that average 70% on brand and
generic medications.
Download the free Inside Rx card at in-
Seniors
siderx.com. Remember, not all pharmacies
charge the same price for medications. While
on the website, use the cost-comparison tool
to learn which local pharmacy offers the
best price for your prescription so you can
save the most.
Use in-network providers
Every plan is unique in which providers it
considers in network and out of network. Innetwork
providers are typically covered at a
higher amount by the health care plan, which
means you will be charged less for services.
Before visiting a doctor or clinic, call
your insurance provider and verify that it’s
in network so you aren’t surprised by a
bill that’s higher than expected. If your
provider isn’t in network, you can ask about
comparable providers who are, so you can
access savings.
Payment plans
If you do end up with medical expenses
and can’t pay the balance all at once, call
the clinic’s billing office to work out a
payment plan. Many health care organizations
want to be proactive about finding a
reasonable way for you to pay, even if that
means specified monthly payments until
you’re caught up.
Health care costs at the start of the year
can be financially crippling, but with a few
smart steps, you can manage these expenses
with ease while keeping yourself and your
family healthy. •
El Segundo Herald* • Hawthorne Press Tribune*
Inglewood Daily News* • Lawndale News*
EL SEGUNDO OFFICE • 500 Center St. • El Segundo • CA • 90245
Phone: (310) 322-1830 • Fax: (310) 322-2787 • www.heraldpublications.com
Staff and Departments
Editor-in-Chief: Heidi Maerker
Classifieds: Clara Nilles • class@heraldpublications.com
DBA: Debbie Waite • dba@heraldpublications.com • For Fictitious Business Name (DBAs) filings
Display Ad Sales: Linda Cohen • enrichlife@aol.com
Graphic Design: Michael Gonzales • ads@heraldpublications.com
Legals: Debbie Waite • legalnotices@heraldpublications.com
Letters to the Editor: letters@heraldpublications.com
Marketing: Debbie Waite • marketing@heraldpublications.com
Press Releases: pr@heraldpublications.com
For press releases, Herald In travel photos and general photos
Real Estate: Clara Nilles • graphics@heraldpublications.com • For new realtors, contracts, ads
Website contact: web@heraldpublications.com
For comments or announcements (weddings, engagements, obituaries)
Contributing Writers: Haleemon Anderson, Derrick Deane, Greg McMullin, Duane Plank, Brian Simon
Our newspapers are adjudicated of general circulation accordance with the laws of California. El Segundo Herald, Case Number 372819;
Hawthorne Press Tribune, Case Number 187530; Inglewood Daily News, Case Number 601550; Lawndale Tribune, Case Number 479346.