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Questions to ask, written down before you go.

Tick the questions you want to ask about cost, coverage, medicines, records, interpreters and what happens next, add your own, then print one page or copy the list to your phone. 27 starter questions, all from the Reach sessions.

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The builder needs JavaScript, which is turned off. Here is every starter question as one list: print it with your browser’s Print command and tick the ones you want to ask.

Questions to ask

Questions for a health visit

Cost

  • What does a visit cost, and do you have a sliding scale or a reduced fee?
  • Roughly what will I pay?
  • What do the codes on my bill mean?
  • Can I ask for a discount or a payment plan?

Coverage

  • Is this covered, and is anything not?
  • Do I need a referral first?
  • Is this provider in my plan or the public system?
  • Does anything need approval first?

Medicines

  • Is there a generic or lower-cost option that would suit me?
  • Is this covered by my public program or plan?
  • What will this cost before you fill it?
  • Is there public help or an exemption I might qualify for?
  • Does a larger supply cost less, and is it allowed?
  • Why does this medicine look different from last time?

Records and portals

  • Do I have to say why I want my records?
  • Will I have to pay?
  • What if the record is wrong?
  • Can my son or daughter manage my portal for me?

Interpreter and access

  • Can I have an interpreter?
  • What if I don’t speak the language well?
  • Are you taking new patients?
  • Do I need papers or a health card to get care?
  • What should I bring?
  • What if I don’t have a smartphone or I can’t do video?

Follow-up

  • Who can I call if I get a bill I don’t understand?
  • Do I have to pay a bill while I’m questioning it?
  • Who do I complain to if the billing office won’t help?

My own questions

Explain, never advise: these are general questions about cost, coverage, access and paperwork, taken from Moraph for Good’s Reach sessions. They are not medical advice. Questions about your health are for your clinician or pharmacist.

From moraph.org/commons/appointment-questions.

Free, no sign-up. Nothing you type leaves your browser. Your list is saved in this browser only, so you can come back to it. Use Clear when you are done, especially on a shared computer.

01Cost

From the Finding low-cost care, How coverage works here and Reading a medical bill kits.

02Coverage

From the How coverage works here kit.

03Medicines

From the Medicines and costs kit.

04Records and portals

From the Your health records and Portals and video appointments kits.

05Interpreter and access

From the Finding low-cost care and Portals and video appointments kits.

06Follow-up

From the How coverage works here and Reading a medical bill kits.

07My own questions

See my list

My list

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Questions to ask

My questions for the visit

Tick a question or write your own, and your list appears here.

Notes and answers

Explain, never advise: these are general questions about cost, coverage, access and paperwork, taken from Moraph for Good’s Reach sessions. They are not medical advice. Questions about your health are for your clinician or pharmacist.

Made with the free appointment questions builder at moraph.org/commons/appointment-questions. Nothing typed into it left the browser.

The list prints on one page (a very long list in large print can take more). In the print dialog, “Save as PDF” keeps a copy.

Where the questions come from

From the sessions, not about your health.

Every starter question is taken word for word from a Reach session kit: the worksheets people fill in at a session, and the questions people ask most. They are about cost, coverage, access and paperwork. None of them is about symptoms, a diagnosis or a treatment; for those, ask your clinician or pharmacist, and add the question in your own words.

Explain, never advise: these questions help you ask; the answers come from the people who know your situation. Finding and paying for care explains the ideas, and free help by country lists official, free services.

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