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How to talk to your doctor about money

Health care in America is too expensive. But you can make your physician your ally.

Maybe this has happened to you: Your doctor is talking to you about your health, saying you need a test or a medication, and suddenly your brain leaps to a question that has nothing to do with your medical needs:

How much is this going to cost?

Health care in America is too expensive. According to a Gallup poll released this month, about one-third of Americans, equivalent to more than 82 million people, said that they had cut back on other expenses — groceries, gas, even utilities — in order to afford medical services. According to KFF, 36 percent of Americans say they have put off medical care in the past 12 months due to the costs.

So of course many of us think about money in those moments. It would be nice if your provider, the person tasked with looking out for your well-being, could be an ally in navigating the complex web of insurance benefits, prior authorization, and prescription drug formularies that ultimately determine how much you pay for medical care.

But unfortunately, while Americans wish they were having these conversations with their physician, many of them aren’t. A 2024 survey of 1,500 people who have cancer or autoimmune conditions found that 62 percent said they wanted to have a cost discussion — but only 32 percent of them had. In a 2023 survey of 1,000 US adults, 41 percent said their doctor never brought up the financial side of their care.

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The unavoidable reality is, we each have to act as our own advocate when it comes to our health. If our provider isn’t bringing it up, we need to. But that can be intimidating: Many of us already fear being judged by a physician. I’ve certainly felt that way. Here’s a secret: Even doctors feel that way sometimes when they are the patient.

“I have found health care billing in my own experience to be........

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