December 1st, 2008 by Reed Allmand 
Because of an increasingly unstable economy, many Americans are going without medical insurance, simply because they can’t afford it. But if they’re not careful the uninsured may face crushing medical debt from even the smallest illness. Because those without medical insurance depend on the emergency room to handle every type of illness from the flu to an infection, medical debt can quickly pile up. But an article in the Dallas Morning News offers some savvy tips for the uninsured to reduce or avoid medical debt. Here are just a few.
- Avoid emergency room visits when possible.
The emergency room should only be used for
life threatening conditions. - Use clinics and free health fairs to diagnosis conditions
such as diabetes and high blood pressure. - Use generic drugs, their cheaper and work just as well.
- Use free or community clinics for vaccinations.
If you find yourself in an emergency room, ask the staff what procedures and medications are unnecessary (ie. extra tests, brand name drugs etc.) so you can save money and avoid medical debt.
About Reed Allmand
Allmand's vision is rooted in his own financially precarious childhood in Abilene "My father always had difficulty holding a job and supporting our family, so after my parents divorced when I was 12, my sister and I got jobs to help make ends meet," he recalls. "I remember what it felt like as a child to worry that our car would be repossessed or home foreclosed on."
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