Medical costs seem to be a never-ending drain on a shrinking paycheck.  Increasing prices are especially painful for retirees on a fixed income and on working families struggling to survive on horribly small paychecks.  Here are ideas on ways to lower medical costs significantly.

• Call the doctor's office and ask to speak with the nurse.  Request that all prescriptions be changed to generics.  If a drug does not have a generic equivalent, then request an entirely different medicine that is generic and will do the same job as the expensive name brand prescription.  My husband had been taking Advair for asthma at a cost of over $200 every month.  The doctor switched his medicine to one which costs $30 per month and he breathes just as easily.
• Dance or walk at a fast pace for 20 minutes every day.  This will allow your heart to feed extra oxygen to your brain and other vital organs in addition to toning your body.  People who exercise regularly are less likely to develop health problems than people who sit all of the time.  Twenty minutes is not asking too much to devote to good health.  There is a link to two other articles at the end of this one:  lose belly fat naturally and lose weight naturally.
  
• Choose the healthiest food available within your grocery budget.  Use the U.S. Government Food Pyramid as a guideline when planning your menu for the week.  The body's immune system works best when the body is properly nourished.  There are people who go their entire lives without ever being sick or losing time at school or at work.  Check the links at the end of this article for ways to buy cheap healthy food in your own neighborhood.
• This one can be challenging but millions have done so before you.  Quit smoking cold turkey.  Every time that you crave a cigarette, think of the thousands of dollars that will be in your savings account because you will not be spending that money on tobacco.  This is an excellent way to improve the quality of your life in addition to lowering medical costs.
• Take advantage of free health screenings that are given at health fairs, in shopping centers, and sometimes at medical clinics.  Some of these tests would normally cost hundreds of dollars.  If you would like to give something in return, then consider saving someone's life by donating blood.
• Practice good oral hygiene by brushing your teeth regularly and taking care of any dental problems.  An infection in the mouth that is left untreated can spread to other parts of the body including the heart.  Dental schools have low cost clinics where one can receive good care by a graduating student and under the supervision of an experienced dentist.  If you do not live near a dental school, many family dentists would be willing to work out a payment plan and schedule treatment around that plan.
• Whenever a surgical procedure is needed, ask if it can be done at a neighborhood clinic rather than the outpatient department at the hospital.  This might result in a significant savings in medical costs.  
• Senior citizens may have additional options that are offered by senior community centers or organizations which cater to seniors.  The best way to find out what is available in your community is to join a senior center and stay informed of ongoing programs or upcoming events.  The friendships which are formed at senior centers may also help to lower medical costs because our bodies benefit when we are involved in group conversation and activities.

Combine as many of these methods as appropriate to help you and your family to lower medical costs.