If you are above 18 in the United States and you have your own health insurance you have probably received the letter or phone call informing you that you are due for your FREE yearly physical.

And if you are like many Americans the word FREE makes most things sound like a great idea. Yes! Yes I am due for my FREE physical! And just like that you are on your way to one of the most expensive doctor visits of your life.

To all of my fellow steemians, I wish you a lifetime of health.

Those of you that are generally healthy may not visit your doctor regularly, maybe it has been years, and possibly you don't even have a "family doctor". To you I say cheers! Whether you are a busy professional, a devoted stay at home parent, or just an involved individual, scheduling a doctors appointment is a time commitment. I know as a practitioner that patients get frustrated by the often times lengthy wait at their doctors office. Funnily enough, most doctors run behind as a result of patients booking an appointment for something simple like a cold but pulling the "since I'm here I will also tell you about five other things that are bothering me" ploy. An appointment scheduled for 10 minutes now takes thirty and the entire day is now off schedule. This makes patients that are waiting angry. But not angry enough to not do it themselves. Consequently people choose to ignore things that don't significantly bother them or require immediate care because they can't afford to lose that time. Then comes the FREE physical notice.... and suddenly a chance to go to the doctor, for FREE, and resolve lingering issues all in one FREE visit is too good to pass up!!!

But here in lies the trick....

the moment you, the patient, have a complaint at your FREE physical it is no longer a FREE physical.

It becomes an extensive office visit that may cost you hundreds of dollars depending on the number of complaints you have been saving up and the cost of your deductible. Each complaint costs your provider time and boosts the care level billed for the visit. So yes your insurance company will eat the cost of the general exam but as soon as the diagnosis goes from "well adult exam" to a problem list YOUR bill starts to accumulate.

So I urge all of you to absolutely utilize your FREE yearly physical.

But keep your complaints for a separate appointment. Take the time to visit your health care professional and make your health a priority. That is something that none of us can afford to lose.

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