By Jacqueline L. Jones

Last week we covered how to save time finding a medical professional to treat your chronic illness. This week we’ll cover how to pay for the services.

If you have health insurance, you will, of course, prefer someone covered by your plan. If the provider you prefer is not in your insurance company’s network, look into these options. The best one for you is that the medical professional agree to join your insurance company’s network. Barring that, for a problem that requires multiple visits, such as physical therapy, an out-of-network provider may agree to charge you only your regular co-pay amount and file the insurance claims so they go toward your deductible.

Another option is alternative payment plans, such as paying in installments. Maybe you could even barter services.

Keep in mind that insurance companies are covering a broader range of services than they have in the past. Check with your insurance company to see if some of these other services, such as those of Certified Nutritionists, are covered, which will reduce your out-of-pocket expenses.

And look into other ways to save money on health care. You may be able to deduct some of your medical expenses on your income taxes. If you qualify, consider opening a flexible spending account or medical savings account.

When this series continues next week, we’ll cover how to safely and legally use the services of an alternative provider.

Fatima Hyder edited this post.