Circumcision Debate Goes On

Although the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend routine neonatal circumcision the debate wages on with little definitive information from either side.

Parents can feel coerced into making a quick decision with little information.

With changes in health care policy it may become a matter of cost for a medically unnecessary procedure which can cost $400; quite a lot of money for many families.

More and more parents are starting to think seriously about whether to circumcise their newborn boys. And many of them are finding that it’s a question without easy answers, not least because guidance from many leading medical organizations has been equivocal. Although rates have declined in recent years, well over half of all boys born in American hospitals undergo the procedure.

You Can Negotiate for Cheaper Medical Care

Barter with your doctor
Before bringing it up, think about what your doctor might value. Boxer Wachler, for example, is a car enthusiast and has young children, so car services and photos worked well for him, but when a patient who is an artist offered free paintings in exchange for care, he declined.
“If you can’t afford care, just go for it,” Boxer Wachler says. “It can’t hurt to ask. The worst thing that will happen is the doctor says thanks for offering, but no thanks.”

Pay on credit
About half of Boxer Wachler’s patients pay on credit — often over 24 months with no interest. Ask your doctor if he or she has arrangements with credit companies and if not, ask if they would be willing to make them.

Negotiate with your doctor
When Christina McMenemy’s husband lost his job and health insurance, she negotiated a $40 fee for an office visit with her children’s pediatrician.
“You’d be surprised how many doctors, especially primary care physicians such as internists and pediatricians, will do this for their patients,” says Dr. Gail Gazelle, a patient advocate and assistant clinical professor at Harvard Medical School.
The book “My Healthcare is Killing Me” teaches you how to negotiate prices with hospitals, too.

Get financial assistance
The “Healthcare Survival Guide” has a state-by-state listing of resources that offer financial help for medical care.

Get discounted dental care, contact lenses and drugs

Read more here.

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