Today's healthcare costs have gone through the roof. All one has to do is turn on the television, read the newspaper, or browse news articles on the internet, to hear about the most outlandish stories of people being financially gutted by doctors and hospitals who excessively overcharge individuals. It used to be that a family had just one doctor of their choice, and they went to that one doctor for all of their healthcare needs. The doctor would become intimately acquainted with the family through the years. The doctor would also charge a reasonable fee, for reasonable care. Unfortunately, now with HMO's and insurance companies requiring individuals to choose only doctor's that they choose, one has to ask the question, of whether or not, they are getting the best and most cost effective medical care.

Here are some recent stories that have been in the news. A hospital billed an individual $186,000, for two hundred heart valves, when only one was used. Unbundling of medical codes and other errors in one medical clinic revealed that they had overcharged a whopping $708,000. An independent review was made of over 1,144 hospital bills between 1992 and 1994, and it found that 859, or 75% of the bills, had significant overcharges, totaling $891,655.81. This is an average of $1,038.02, in overages per bill. One patient received six radiation treatments, but was charged for seven, which was a $4,000 error. This same patient was also billed for two initial visits, of more than $100 each. Another bill reviewer in Virginia, reviewed 300 hospital bills and found errors totaling over $300,00.

It's no wonder that insurance rates, doctor's visits, prescription drugs, and hospital visits are so expensive. Can you imagine being billed for two hospital visits instead of one. Or how about being overcharged $4000.00, on your medical bill. One national magazine was quoted as saying, that they believed that more than 90%, or about thirty one million hospital bills that are processed each and every year, contain errors, with overcharges which make up about two-thirds of the errors. They also go on to state, that this costs consumers, insurers, and government an estimated ten billion dollars a year.

Fortunately, however there is now a way for the average individual to get free doctor's consultations and prescriptions approved for absolutely no charge. Yes, that's right, I said it, nothing, nada, zip, free. Online pharmacies are now employing staff doctors to consult with customers and even write prescriptions for them. Can you imagine surfing online, and finding an online pharmacy, which offers discounted medications and free doctor's consultations for prescriptions. Hallelujah!

Forget about going to the doctor's office. No more waiting in the lobby for hours. No more fighting the downtown and freeway traffic to get to a doctor's office. No more paying exorbitant fees for a visit just to get the physician to prescribe medications.

Nowadays, to get a prescription medication, all one has to do, is to turn on the computer, and surf the internet. There are many discount pharmacies online today that offer free doctor's consultations and free prescriptions, from licensed doctors. Just go to their website, get the phone number, and speak directly to a physician. This physician will ask a series of questions, and afterwards, give you a prescription, right over the phone. Sounds to good to be true, but it isn't. Thankfully, in this day and age of sky high gas prices, mortgage payments, taxes, and healthcare, at least doctor's visits for prescription medications doesn't have to cost a dime anymore.