WITH THE OPEN enrollment period for workplace health benefits soon coming to a close, this is a good time to look at ways to save money on health care costs. Here are three options to consider for 2017.

• Now is the time to consider opening a tax-free health savings account (HSA) and high-deductible health plan (HDHP). “HSA plans give consumers incentives to manage their own health care costs by coupling a tax-favored savings account used to pay medical expenses with an HDHP that meets certain requirements for deductibles and out-of-pocket expense limits,” according to America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP; ahip.org), the national trade association representing the health insurance industry. A

2015 AHIP census reported U.S. enrollment in HSA/ HDHPs totaled approximately

19. 7 million people in January

2015, a 22 percent increase from the previous year.

While HSAs and HDHPs can help reduce monthly premiums, these plans generally require members to pay more for co-pays, office visits and deductibles; in response, enrollees are becoming better shoppers when it comes to out-of-pocket expenses.

• For savings on the cost of medicines, Costco pharmacies, routinely recognized by a leading consumer magazine as being among the least expensive places to fill prescriptions across the nation, can help you stretch your health care dollars.

Costco’s full-service pharmacies accept virtually any insurance plan, and Costco’s licensed pharmacists are highly trained to help you evaluate your options. Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to buy your prescription medications in bulk at Costco; the pharmacies are able to fill small-dosage

HEALTH AND WELLNESS
UPDATE

Pharmacy

prescriptions, and they carry a list of generics at significant savings compared with brand names.

Costco pharmacies accept prescriptions via electronic communication. They also offer additional services, such as immunizations and clinics for cardiovascular risk, bone density and diabetes.

• Last, members without insurance should look into the Costco Health Insurance Marketplace, which helps consumers and business owners in most states understand health insurance options available to them. For more information, visit Costco.com and search “My Insurance Marketplace.”

COSTCO
Budgeting
for health care

Diabetes: Know your risk

HEALTH TIP

MORE THAN 29 million adults in the United States have diabetes and a quarter of them do not know it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; cdc.gov).

Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. This happens because the body doesn’t make enough insulin (Type 1 diabetes) or can’t use insulin well enough to get glucose into the cells (Type 2 diabetes).

The most common type of diabetes is Type 2, which accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all cases. There are several risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes, including obesity, older age, having a family history of Type 2, being inactive and having elevated blood sugar.

Certain ethnicities are also at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. These include African-Americans, Hispanic or Latino Americans, some Asian-Americans or Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans.

Long-term complications of diabetes include heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and the need for amputations, according to the CDC. People with diabetes could also experience frequent urination, extreme thirst, fatigue, sudden vision changes or tingling or numbness in the hands or feet. If you have any risk factors or symptoms, talk to a health care provider about getting screened for diabetes.

Lifestyle changes, such as eating healthfully, maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly can delay or reduce your risk of developing diabetes.

Costco pharmacies offer
regularly scheduled diabetes
screenings. To see the schedule,
go to Costco.com and search
“Health Fairs.”
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