Want to Save on Health Care? RokketMed Has an App for That

When you become a parent, everyone warns you about the cost of diapers and formula. What they neglect to tell you is that the health care costs are the real hit to your wallet.

Before my son was born, I put money aside to pay for the anticipated delivery costs, but the surprise C-section meant what I had saved wasn’t enough. It wasn’t too long thereafter that my son needed tubes in his ears. And while that was expensive for me, I realize that I have it easy compared to many other families.

At my current job, we have a high deductible heath care plan. This means that I pay very little in monthly costs, but I pay the market rate for any services. This usually works out great when you are young and invincible in your 20s. It is often less expensive to pay for your annual exams and the occasional office visit than to pay a standard insurance premium for the full year.

With a high deductible plan, you get a real understanding of the price of healthcare because you are seeing the full cost. And when you are paying the full cost, you scrutinize prices and actually start shopping around for providers. I switched my primary physician when I realized that an annual exam cost nothing at Overlake, but Swedish Medical Centers billed $260 for the same service.

There is a newly launched app, RokketMed, that helps with the process of finding the best price for health care. You can search for a treatment based on your symptoms and it uses your location to quickly find nearby providers that are affordable.

I’ve used RokketMed on the web and through the iOS app. They also have an Android app available. They currently have regional-specific coverage for Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Texas, Washington and Washington, D.C. They plan to add coverage for other states soon.

I just did a quick search for relief from seasonal allergies and saw office visits that ranged anywhere from $69 to $140. When you have a high deductible plan, or if you simply can’t get in to see your usual physician, using an app like RokketMed can reduce your out of pocket expenses.

Fortunately, we haven’t had to deal with broken bones or visits to an emergency room. In the long run, we will save money with our high deductible plan. But I have to admit, it does sting in the short term when you pay a higher cost for what you do actually use.