According to a recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit healthcare research group, about one in three Americans said their family has had problems paying medical bills in the past year. Almost half of those surveyed said someone in their family was postponing or cutting back on medical care they needed. That’s alarming to say the least.

If you are forced to make these kinds of difficult economic decisions, here are three areas of healthcare that you can’t afford to ignore, since disregarding them may cost you more down the road.

Medicine. More than a third of the people in the Kaiser survey said they were splitting pills, skipping doses of medicine or not filling prescriptions at all. The danger with this is that even seemingly minor illnesses like an ear infection can turn into an emergency room visit if left untreated.

Symptoms. Skipping tests and treatments when you have symptoms or feel that something is wrong can be risky. If your doctor thinks you need an expensive diagnostic test, like a CT scan or MRI, ask about free or low-cost screening programs or clinics that can provide an affordable test. If (more…)

What to do in your 20s

Arrange for a complete physical every five years, which should include:

- Cholesterol profile

- Blood pressure check

- Testicular cancer screening (Young men should also perform monthly self-exams.)

- Waist measurement and height and weight measurements to calculate your body mass index, or BMI

- Most physicians also recommend a complete blood count, a blood sugar test and a urinalysis.

- Get an adult-type tetanus-pertussis-diphtheria booster (and follow up every 10 years).

- See your dentist every six to 12 months.

What to do in your 30s

Sign up for complete physicals, which should repeat the tests conducted in your 20s, but every three years instead of every five. At 35, you can stop testicular exams.

What to do in your 40s

- Get a (more…)