Jim Humphries, B.S., D.V.M.
Jim Humphries, B.S., D.V.M.
Male
Colorado Springs - CO
Specialties: Dogs, cats, behavior therapy, horse care
Interests: cats, Dogs, animals, Medicine, Horses, history, hiking, colorado, motorcycles, back pain, Exercise, spine, fusion, degenerative disc disease
Male
Colorado Springs - CO
Specialties: Dogs, cats, behavior therapy, horse care
Interests: cats, Dogs, animals, Medicine, Horses, history, hiking, colorado, motorcycles, back pain, Exercise, spine, fusion, degenerative disc disease
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Pet Health Savings Plans - Alternative To Insurance
Oct 05, 2009 06:18PM
- 3 comments
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Money is tight for everyone these days! Paying your every day bills is hard enough, so what happens when your pet needs emergency care? A new idea just might keep your pet, and your wallet, from suffering!
Historically, veterinary medicine has always been a bargain for pet owners. Unfortunately, when a serious illness strikes or the pet is injured, pet owners are often shocked by the estimates and invoices they receive. Furthermore, when the estimate exceeds the amount in their checking account, some owners feel trapped between a decision to fix the pet and hurt their savings, or lose their pet forever.
Sadly, this scenario is all too common in veterinary medicine. Many pets with fixable problems or curable diseases have suffered euthanasia due to financial reasons.
Pet insurance can help, but since there are no third party payment systems in veterinary medicine, the pet owner must still pay the invoice up front and wait for reimbursement.
Likewise, personal financing options are available. Unfortunately, the very people who need the most help aren’t often able to qualify for credit.
Thankfully, Pet Health Savings Plans may provide some hope for pet owners as a new option in covering pet healthcare costs. Pet Health Savings Plans allow an owner to make an automatic deposit into an FDIC insured account set up specifically for them and their pet. Since the deposit is automatic, most owners never truly miss the money. The account is also interest-bearing, so pet owners can actually see sustained growth in their pet’s nest egg!
One of the major controversies with pet insurance is that if your pet never needs it, owners feel as if they have paid the premiums for nothing. With the new pet health savings plans, the money stays with you, so that you can use it for any purpose.
Conversely, pet health savings plans do take time to build and a sudden pet emergency could still leave you without funds. Many pet insurance policies will provide reimbursements even after payment of just a single premium.
Unlike personal financing options, pet health savings plans aren’t going to require a substantial credit check. If you have a checking or savings account, you will likely be eligible for one of these plans as well.
A great example of a pet health savings plan can be found at pawsitivesavings.com. Pawsitive Savings was started by Dr. Tom Beall as another way to try and help his clients handle unexpected pet expenses.
Pawsitive Savings gives their members a debit card complete with a picture of their own pet on the front. Through a network of veterinarians and veterinary suppliers, owners enrolled in Pawsitive Savings also receive numerous benefits and coupons for products and services.
But, perhaps the biggest advantage pet owners and veterinarians have seen with pet health savings accounts is the fact that the money stays with the owner. If the pet never needs emergency care, special surgery, or long-term healthcare, the money can be used for the next pet or for whatever the owner would like.
Beyond finding out how to pay for an emergency situation with your pet, veterinarians remind owners that one key to lower pet healthcare costs is to practice good preventive care and some common sense.
Don’t skimp on heartworm preventive or vaccines in an effort to save money. Likewise, trying to cut costs by using less expensive foods or over the counter imitation products can also lead to a pet health emergency.
We know that we can’t prevent every single accident our pets might have, but preparing for future situations makes a lot of sense. Pet health savings plans help provide pet owners with some peace of mind and, these accounts designed for saving money just might be life-saving as well! You can learn more about this great new idea by visiting pawsitivesavings.com.
Historically, veterinary medicine has always been a bargain for pet owners. Unfortunately, when a serious illness strikes or the pet is injured, pet owners are often shocked by the estimates and invoices they receive. Furthermore, when the estimate exceeds the amount in their checking account, some owners feel trapped between a decision to fix the pet and hurt their savings, or lose their pet forever.
Sadly, this scenario is all too common in veterinary medicine. Many pets with fixable problems or curable diseases have suffered euthanasia due to financial reasons.
Pet insurance can help, but since there are no third party payment systems in veterinary medicine, the pet owner must still pay the invoice up front and wait for reimbursement.
Likewise, personal financing options are available. Unfortunately, the very people who need the most help aren’t often able to qualify for credit.
Thankfully, Pet Health Savings Plans may provide some hope for pet owners as a new option in covering pet healthcare costs. Pet Health Savings Plans allow an owner to make an automatic deposit into an FDIC insured account set up specifically for them and their pet. Since the deposit is automatic, most owners never truly miss the money. The account is also interest-bearing, so pet owners can actually see sustained growth in their pet’s nest egg!
One of the major controversies with pet insurance is that if your pet never needs it, owners feel as if they have paid the premiums for nothing. With the new pet health savings plans, the money stays with you, so that you can use it for any purpose.
Conversely, pet health savings plans do take time to build and a sudden pet emergency could still leave you without funds. Many pet insurance policies will provide reimbursements even after payment of just a single premium.
Unlike personal financing options, pet health savings plans aren’t going to require a substantial credit check. If you have a checking or savings account, you will likely be eligible for one of these plans as well.
A great example of a pet health savings plan can be found at pawsitivesavings.com. Pawsitive Savings was started by Dr. Tom Beall as another way to try and help his clients handle unexpected pet expenses.
Pawsitive Savings gives their members a debit card complete with a picture of their own pet on the front. Through a network of veterinarians and veterinary suppliers, owners enrolled in Pawsitive Savings also receive numerous benefits and coupons for products and services.
But, perhaps the biggest advantage pet owners and veterinarians have seen with pet health savings accounts is the fact that the money stays with the owner. If the pet never needs emergency care, special surgery, or long-term healthcare, the money can be used for the next pet or for whatever the owner would like.
Beyond finding out how to pay for an emergency situation with your pet, veterinarians remind owners that one key to lower pet healthcare costs is to practice good preventive care and some common sense.
Don’t skimp on heartworm preventive or vaccines in an effort to save money. Likewise, trying to cut costs by using less expensive foods or over the counter imitation products can also lead to a pet health emergency.
We know that we can’t prevent every single accident our pets might have, but preparing for future situations makes a lot of sense. Pet health savings plans help provide pet owners with some peace of mind and, these accounts designed for saving money just might be life-saving as well! You can learn more about this great new idea by visiting pawsitivesavings.com.
I can't give you enough of a thumbs up for posting this journal!
We simply have set aside a credit card that we use for NOTHING else except for unexpectedly large vet expenses. I keep it locked up in my locker at work, away from any temptation to use it for anything else.
The Pawsitivesavings plan sounds like a great idea, too.
What ever you do, remember to plan for the unexpected, because if you are a pet owner, it WILL happen. Do be forced to make a heartbreaking decision based on inability to pay for care.
And above all, be sure when you adopt a pet, that you have the funds to pay for regular preventative care, such as immunizations and heartworm preventative, readily available. Preventing common dog and cat diseases is SO much more affordable than treating an illness.
We simply have set aside a credit card that we use for NOTHING else except for unexpectedly large vet expenses. I keep it locked up in my locker at work, away from any temptation to use it for anything else.
The Pawsitivesavings plan sounds like a great idea, too.
What ever you do, remember to plan for the unexpected, because if you are a pet owner, it WILL happen. Do be forced to make a heartbreaking decision based on inability to pay for care.
And above all, be sure when you adopt a pet, that you have the funds to pay for regular preventative care, such as immunizations and heartworm preventative, readily available. Preventing common dog and cat diseases is SO much more affordable than treating an illness.
This is a great journal. Thank you.
And another thing to think about is never, NEVER take on a dog/cat/or any other pet,impulsively, just because it's cute, homeless, or any other reason. Always consider first, whether you have the funds either already in place, or a good practical plan ready. Your pet will definitely need the vet, and accidents and emergencies always happen when you least expect them. And they do happen to every pet owner at one stage or another.
So get real. Get some financial plan for your pet, and be ready to either save, or spend some money.
And another thing to think about is never, NEVER take on a dog/cat/or any other pet,impulsively, just because it's cute, homeless, or any other reason. Always consider first, whether you have the funds either already in place, or a good practical plan ready. Your pet will definitely need the vet, and accidents and emergencies always happen when you least expect them. And they do happen to every pet owner at one stage or another.
So get real. Get some financial plan for your pet, and be ready to either save, or spend some money.
Thanks! This was timely. I've been researching pet insurance rates with the intent to purchase, and they seem to have skyrocketed since last year when I initially looked. Also, the repayment on yearly visits, flea & tick, and heartworm doesn't come close to the actual costs where I live. It's a fair bet the procedure reimbursements are stingy too. I will definitely be looking into the pet savings plans.
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