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Did you know?

• In 2001, 50 drugs (out of almost 9,500) accounted for 62.3% of the $22.5 billion increase in retail prescription spending.¹
• In 2002, the average cost of an MRI was $1,890.²
• The average emergency room visits costs $383 while the average doctor's visit costs $60.³

With health care costs increasing every year, these national statistics are undoubtedly even higher today. But you get the picture. For those of us with health care coverage, what we pay out-of-pocket can mask the true cost of health care. It's the actual costs reflected in the share of health plan rates each of us pays.

When you make health care choices, be an educated consumer:

• Learn the basics about your prescription benefit
• Know the cost of your alternatives.
• Review all medical bills for accuracy and ask about any costs you don't understand.

These simple steps will help keep health care affordable for all of us and build a healthy future.

Sources:
¹ NIHCM Foundation, "Prescription Drug Expenditures in 2001: Another Year of Escalating Costs"
² Medicode National Fee Analyzer by Ingenix, 2002
³ New England Journal of Medicine, "The Costs of Visits to Emergency Departments"