Your Best Health Care Now

August 15, 2016
Journalist Lalli was diagnosed in 2008 with multiple myeloma. His medication cost $571 daily and his insurance was inadequate, but as related in his New York Times op-ed “A Health Insurance Detective Story,” his research skills enabled him to get the drug for $2 a day. In this practical guide, organized into 20 chapters, Lalli reveals “who to ask, what to ask, and what to do” while navigating the endlessly confounding U.S. health-care maze. Excellent explanations of the Affordable Care Act appear in Chapters 3 and 4, while Chapter 7 warns of 10 common Medicare mistakes. Shopping for health insurance is addressed in Chapter 5, and there is priceless insider information on a range of specific topics, including billing codes, health-care savings accounts, dental coverage, and beating “sneaky” unexpected fees. Everything is negotiable, Lalli notes repeatedly, so patients are always wise to ask for a lower price, request a cash discount, and access free preventive services. Appendixes feature a glossary of necessary and helpful health-care terms and a resources list. With facts and advisories from patients’ rights organizations and think tanks, plus the author’s personal experience and clear directions, this handbook is a must-have for everyone needing health care. Agent: Nat Sobel, Sobel Weber.