For many Americans, 2020 has been a rollercoaster. Not only has it been emotionally draining, but financially draining as well. People have lost their jobs, seen their expenses rise, or both. The cost of healthcare in 2021 is uncertain but some experts think it could rise a lot, others think it may not be so bad. The uncertainty is stressful. One cost that has been going up steadily is that of prescription drugs. It remains one of the biggest problems in the country and lawmakers are grappling with how to deal with it.
With the uncertainty over healthcare costs, increased price of prescription drugs, and a pandemic, many people feel as though they should get their finances in order. Companies like Safe Path Advisors are there to help get their debt under control.
Uncertain Premiums
Open enrollment for the Healthcare Marketplace is going to be soon, but it’s unclear just how much the price for premiums is going to rise. Healthcare experts say the pandemic is making it difficult to predict what’s going to happen for the 2021 plans.
Earlier this year, PwC Health Research Institute published its Behind the Numbers report. Researchers believe that a winter wave of COVID-19 could cause the cost to grow just 4% more than in 2020. That’s because doctors and patients might push elective surgeries out.
However, at the same time, medical costs could increase by as much as 10% over the pre-coronavirus costs. The surge would lead to the highest inflation rates for medical care in more than a decade.
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care CEO Michael Carson explained it’s tough to predict what’s going to happen to premium prices. “It’s a difficult process … and from a financial perspective what I’ve said to my board is we have to look at 2020 and 2021 as one fiscal year,” he told CNBC.
Employers are worried the pandemic will lead to higher medical costs across the board. In fact, 8 in 10 Fortune 500 companies expressed concern in a survey by the American Benefits Council.
As employers and health care experts worry about the cost of premiums and overall care, the average family is dealing with increased prescription drug prices.
Drug Prices
Lawmakers have been talking about drafting bills to get the price of prescription drugs under control for years. So, far they haven’t been able to work anything out that will solve the problem. Meanwhile, Americans are continuing to grapple with high costs for life-saving medications.
In September, GoodRx published a study that found the price of drugs has risen faster than the cost of “any other medical good or service.” Americans are paying 33% more for medication now than they did in 2014. Other services, like hospital and nursing care, have gone up 30% and 23% respectively.
In the middle of a pandemic that’s costing people their livelihoods, rising drug prices aren’t ideal. Especially since doctors treat many of the symptoms of COVID-19 with expensive medications.
Getting Finances in Order
The fact is, so many of the world’s problems are out of everyone’s control. The average American isn’t going to be able to solve the problem of rising prescription drug prices or uncertain healthcare costs. They can control their own personal finances though.
Roughly 125 million people have credit card debt in the US. That debt often comes with high-interest rates and other fees which causes the bills to balloon. Fortunately, there are companies that can help consumers get out from under that problem, and have more money, in the long run, to take care of their health.
If a person is indebted to multiple lenders, paying everything off on their own is difficult and can be expensive if the credit cards all have high-interest rates. Safe Path Advisors help consumers consolidate their debt into one loan that’s easier to pay off and often has a lower rate. The faster they get out from under their debt, the easier it is to save for other things like prescription drugs.