Website That Decodes Healthcare Complexities and Saves Consumers Money, Adds “Ask an Expert” Feature
Chicago, IL (Jan. 31, 2011) — My Health and Money, an independent, one-stop resource on the web for making smarter healthcare decisions, has added an “Ask an Expert” feature to its already robust offering of education, savings, comparison prices, and peer conversations. The website provides people with tools and information to understand how to fit the cost of healthcare into their family’s budget. Now, My Health and Money subscribers have online, one-on-one access to registered nurses, board-certified primary care doctors, licensed therapists and financial advocates. This new feature ensures that consumers have access to clinical, medical and financial experts whenever they need clinical guidance, financial resolutions or on-demand medical services.
“People are fearful and frustrated when they have to deal with any aspect of healthcare,” said Sarah Wilcox, CEO of My Health and Money and a 30-year healthcare industry veteran. “Because of my background, I realized I could help families sort out what their choices are, and show them how to take control of both their care and their money. We’re a safety net for people who want unbiased advice about how to lower their healthcare costs.”
The website provides simple, step-by-step guidance for consumers to make decisions and choose affordable care options. For example, chronically ill patients such as diabetics have recurring costs that total, on average, about $6,000/year. With the help of My Health and Money, they can research drug costs, find patients in their area with their insurance plan to ask questions, compare costs with others on the site, and read tips and articles on ways to reduce their out-of-pocket costs. The website also provides support for those with non-chronic conditions. For example, if a non-emergency hospital procedure has been recommended, you can go online to www.myhealthandmoney.com before your procedure and compare hospital costs by facilities in your zip code area. Now, you can also “Ask an Expert” for clinical guidance in preparation for an appointment with your doctor.
“This isn’t about cheap care.” said Wilcox, “It’s about informed, affordable care. Today, we’re all responsible for more of our healthcare bills now that employers are shifting to high-deductible health plans and asking us to share more of the premium costs. So it’s in our best interest to understand how the system works and to be informed about what types of conversations to have with our doctors. The worst case scenario is for people to avoid seeking medical care because they’re afraid of how much it might cost.”
Service Shows Consumers and Employees How to Shop for Healthcare
My Health and Money was soft launched in October 2009, and provides Premium and Premium Plus membership plans for $6.99/month and $10.99/month, respectively. Members include individuals and families with high- deductible health plans, chronically ill patients with recurring monthly costs, and individuals seeking low-cost wellness options. As an independent resource, the website works with any insurance plan.
My Health and Money subscriptions also are being sold to employers as an inexpensive employee benefit. According to one employer who recently purchased My Health and Money for his employees, “I want my staff to feel that I am doing my best to help them understand the healthcare landscape as it changes regularly.”
Premium Membership ($6.99/month) includes:
- Easy-to-navigate personalized tracking and management of healthcare costs and savings
- Special savings on brand name and generic prescription medications
- Discount cards for retail pharmacy, dental network and chiropractic and alternative health practitioners
- Savings on medical supplies such as hearing aids, and healthcare services
- Price comparisons on diagnostic tests and hospital procedures
- Tips, articles and resources for learning how to reduce your out-of-pocket costs
- Peer-to-peer conversations for finding answers on managing healthcare costs and personal care
Premium Plus Membership ($10.99/month) includes:
- All Premium Membership features, plus
- 24/7 Ask an Expert Services via video, chat, phone, chat, and email that provide access to clinical, medical and financial support when you need it most. Services do not interfere with primary patient/physician relationships.
View our quick tour to get a complete overview of what is on the website.
“Ask an Expert” Partners Best in Class
When determining who would provide “Ask an Expert” services, My Health and Money went to industry leaders who have provided best-in-class wellness and clinical support services to employees for years. This is the first time these services will be packaged and offered together for online consumers. All clinical and medical services are provided 24/7 and are HIPAA compliant. Partners include:
- Health Contact Partners, a Trustmark company, provides the MyNurse24/7 nurse line for clinical guidance and decision support. Phone and chat services are provided by Registered Nurses.
- MDLive Care, a telehealth web platform that provides health information, Q&A’s with board-certified primary care doctors, and on-demand medical appointments via video/chat, phone or email.
- CuraLinc, a behavioral health company, provides phone and chat services by licensed therapists, including short-term counseling.
- Health Payment Advocates, a financial advocacy organization that helps patients understand their insurance benefits, navigate the claims process, renegotiate patients’ portions of bills or establish payment solutions.
Contact Information:
Sarah Wilcox
My Health and Money LLC
http://www.myhealthandmoney.com
773-327-7500
