Dr. Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer for UnitedHealthcare Employer and Individual, a primary care physician, suggested Kentuckians take advantage of annual checkups and preventive care.
"Catching something early costs less. Not only is it better for your physical health, it's also better for your financial health to make sure that you're getting that prevention and screening," Randall pointed out.
Research shows preventive care can help catch complications early, boost medication adherence and help patients make lifestyle changes to stop conditions from getting worse.
More than 40% of adult Kentuckians live with at least one chronic illness and around 17% live with three or more chronic conditions, according to state data.
Randall added the monthly premium for most healthcare plans is just one aspect of overall costs.
"You want to ask yourself, what am I going to be responsible for paying beyond that monthly premium? And I'm talking about out-of-pocket costs like co-pays, coinsurance, deductibles. Make sure that you're considering and understanding what all of those numbers mean," Randall recommended.
She noted that there are tools available to research plans, including JustPlainClear.com for employer-based healthcare plans and MedicareMadeClear.com for Medicare beneficiaries.
UnitedHealthcare contributes to our fund for reporting on healthcare.
