According to a Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, one in five Americans did not seek medical care for a recent illness or injury, with four out of 10 citing cost as the primary factor. Fewer consumers visited a physician or healthcare professional in the past year; 79% of respondents sought medical attention in 2010 as compared with 85% who did so in 2009.

15% of consumers reported visiting a retail clinic and 34% said they would do so if it cost 50% or less than the cost of a doctor’s appointment. More consumers are seeking alternative or natural remedies before seeing a physician. Consumers are also receptive to medical tourism, but only 7% sought healthcare services outside their local community in the last 12 months.

So how about you? Have you been avoiding care? You shouldn’t be. The fact is that there are baseline, necessary tests that you need to have routinely to assure you stay healthy. Avoiding these could lead to complications down the road and MORE costs to you. So have those necessary tests, annual physicals, etc. and do shop for care. You can negotiate and you can save money.