Cutting down on health costs
27/09/2009
New research from a UK insurer has shown that many in the UK are turning a blind eye to serious symptoms of illness and instead trying to self-treat at home, in the hope of saving money on medical bills.
90% of the survey respondents told the researchers that they would prefer to treat themselves than visit a professional, while 75% simply hope that any nagging ailments will clear up on their own.
The study showed that Britons do the following things to avoid seeing a doctor or dentist:
- live with cracked teeth and lost fillings
- tape up broken glasses
- neglect eye and dental checks
- ignore bad backs and aching joints, sprains and corns or athletes foot
Some have gone as far as extracting their own teeth, or wearing someone else's contact lenses or dentures.
Surprisingly, 73% said that they ignore symptoms that could point to something more serious, such as headaches, dizziness or chest pains, to avoid medical costs. Additionally 37% said they would risk their health with out-of-date or foreign medicines, or remedies bought online.
Avoiding medical treatment is usually a false economy, though. Regular health checks can help identify issues before they become more serious or costly. A medical professional is the best person to differentiate a minor ailment from a warning sign of serious illness.
There are now many cost-effective private healthcare plans which allow people to manage their health and avoid unexpected bills arising from ill health.
Patient Choice provides easy-to-understand, cost-effective private health plans for individuals and businesses. For more information visit the Patient Choice website.
