How to Talk to Your Doctor about Your Health Care Costs and Treatment Options

Having an open conversation with your doctor may help you save money. To start the conversation about the cost of your care, download a custom report from wearthecost.org. Then, click on the articles and other links below for some tips on how to talk to your doctor about health care costs and choosing a treatment plan that is right for you.

• “Six Questions to Ask at Every Doctor’s Appointment” (PDF – 189 KB) Elisabeth Rosenthal (PBS NewsHour, April 27, 2017).
• “How to Save Money at Your Doctor’s Office” (PDF – 183 KB) Elisabeth Rosenthal (Tincture, April 11, 2017).
• “How U.S. Health Care Became Big Business” (PDF – 189 KB) Terry Gross (interview with Elisabeth Rosenthal, NPR, April 10, 2017).
• “Five Questions to Ask Your Doctor Before You Get Any Test, Treatment, or Procedure” (PDF – 65 KB) (Choosing Wisely, Consumer Reports, and the ABIM Foundation).
• “Questions that May Save You Money at the Doctor’s” (PDF – 99 KB) (WebMD).
• “8 Tips for Communicating Well with Your Healthcare Provider” (PDF – 156 KB) (CareFirst).
• “Questions to Ask Before Surgery” (PDF – 121 KB) (CareFirst).
• “5 Questions You Were Afraid to Ask About Health Insurance” (PDF – 754 KB) Scott Orwig (AmericanHealthLine, December 14, 2017).