Best Websites and Tools to Save on Your Health, 2016
Keys to finding less-expensive pharmaceuticals and cutting costs for health care.
The picks below are part of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s annual Best List, a roundup of the best values in all the areas we cover – from funds, stocks and ETFs to credit cards and bank accounts to cars, college, kid stuff, phone plans, travel and health. Discover all our Best List picks here.
Health care cost estimator
At FAIR Health’s Consumer Cost Lookup, you can see the estimated charges (based on costs for your ZIP code) for thousands of medical and dental procedures.
Way to save on prescription drugs
GoodRx.com compares costs for your drugs at local and mail-order pharmacies. It also offers coupons that you can print out immediately, details about manufacturers’ assistance programs, information about lower-cost generics and therapeutic alternatives, other savings tips, and a pharmacy discount card. You can download a mobile app to compare costs at the doctor’s office.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Hospital finder
Medicare.gov’s Hospital Compare makes it easy to check up on a hospital you would use in an emergency or one you’re considering for a procedure—even if you aren’t on Medicare. The site offers data on quality, safety and patient experience for more than 4,000 hospitals.
Health savings account
If you have a high-deductible health insurance policy and want to invest in an HSA for the long term—and your employer doesn’t offer an HSA or has poor investing choices—consider Health Savings Administrators. You can invest in any of 22 Vanguard funds (12 of which include low-cost Admiral shares) with no minimum, and the company recently added about 70 new fund choices from TIAA, T. Rowe Price, Dimensional and MFS. The annual administrative fee is $45, plus a custodial fee of 62.5 cents per $1,000 every three months for all (except for the TIAA and Price funds, which have no custodial fee).
Fitness tracker
The Fitbit Charge 2 ($150) packs a lot of features into a 0.84-inch-wide wristband. Besides tracking your steps, the device counts calories burned, distance traveled and flights of stairs climbed. It also monitors your heart rate and sleep habits. The small display shows the time and your activity stats, and it will alert you to calls or texts to your Apple or Android phone.
Lisa has been the editor of Kiplinger Personal Finance since June 2023. Previously, she spent more than a decade reporting and writing for the magazine on a variety of topics, including credit, banking and retirement. She has shared her expertise as a guest on the Today Show, CNN, Fox, NPR, Cheddar and many other media outlets around the nation. Lisa graduated from Ball State University and received the school’s “Graduate of the Last Decade” award in 2014. A military spouse, she has moved around the U.S. and currently lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and two sons.
-
Stock Market Today: Bitcoin, Boeing Shine as Stocks Slip
Digital World Acquisition sizzled, too, ahead of tomorrow's merger with Trump Media & Technology Group.
By Karee Venema Published
-
Stellantis Recalls 285K Vehicles Over Airbag Problems
Defective airbag inflators on certain Chrysler and Dodge vehicles could rupture and cause injury or death, NHTSA says.
By Joey Solitro Published
-
403(b) Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans Teachers and nonprofit workers can contribute more to a 403(b) retirement plan in 2024 than they could in 2023.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
SEP IRA Contribution Limits for 2024
SEP IRA A good option for small business owners, SEP IRAs allow individual annual contributions of as much as $69,000 a year.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2024
Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up for 2024. Here's what you need to know.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
SIMPLE IRA Contribution Limits for 2024
simple IRA The maximum amount workers at small businesses can contribute to a SIMPLE IRA increased by $500 for 2024.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
457 Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans State and local government workers can contribute more to their 457 plans in 2024 than in 2023.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Roth 401(k) Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans The Roth 401(k) contribution limit for 2024 is increasing, and workers who are 50 and older can save even more.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnb
real estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
By Miriam Cross Published
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute Vacation
Travel Procrastinator? No matter. You can pull off a fun and memorable getaway on a moment's notice — without breaking the bank.
By Vaishali Varu Last updated