Too much of the essential mineral can be bad for your health. Hyperkalemia is a condition caused by high levels of potassium.

Hyperkalemia may be caused by conditions like chronic kidney disease, diet, and medications.

You can work with your doctor to figure out the factors and develop a treatment plan.

Hyperkalemia treatment can come with a high cost.

In one retrospective analysis of nearly 80,000 people, researchers found that those with hyperkalemia incurred $4,128 higher healthcare costs in 30 days versus a control group. The average annual costs were also $31,844 — about $16,000 higher than the control group.

Treatment is essential for preventing further complications of hyperkalemia.

You can reduce the costs of treatment while getting the essential care you need for this condition.

“If you have questions or are experiencing a non- emergency medical issue, you don’t need to see your doctor in person for follow-up appointments or blood testing.”

Depending on your doctor and your insurance company, you may be able to reduce the number of times you have to see your doctor in person.

  • Call the nurse line for questions and to get prescription refill information.
  • Virtual and tele-visits are often less expensive than in-person visits.
  • Send a message to your healthcare professional if you have an electronic patient portal.
  • Call your insurance company to see if they offer virtual or tele consultations. Some companies have a network of doctors that can help with non-emergencies when you visit your primary care doctor.

Depending on the severity of your hyperkalemia, you may need to see a specialist, such as a hematologist or a nephrologist.

“Every insurance plan has a network of providers who will cover their services, but they won’t cover specialists who are out of network. If your doctor refers you to a specialist, make sure that your insurance company is in-network.”

If a particular specialist is out of network, you can check with your insurance to see if there is a list of other medical professionals that you can check with your doctor.

You may decide to see an out-of-network specialist. You can talk to the billing office before you make a payment to find out if they can offer a cheaper rate.

Deficiency of the mineral may be treated with a combination of drugs and urine to remove excess potassium from the body.

If your doctor has prescribed you a medication to treat your hyperkalemia, consider the ways you can reduce the costs.

  • Ask for a generic form of the medication. Your doctor may make a note of this on the original prescription.
  • Compare prices through apps, such as GoodRx. While these typically can’t be combined with medical insurance, sometimes the prices end up being less expensive.
  • Check your insurance company’s formulary. You can check the formulary (a list of medications they cover) ahead of time to see which types of hyperkalemia medications are covered so you can discuss these options with your doctor.
  • Consider additional assistance programs. Programs such as Medicare Part D or a State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program (SPAP) may help you determine whether you qualify for extra prescription drug benefits.

If you have too much of a mineral in your blood, your doctor will recommend a low-Kept diet.

Taking their recommendations into account while meal planning on your own may help manage your condition, as a dietitian can help you determine which foods to eat on this type of diet.

Managing your diet may help to reduce doctor visits and medication costs.

You should limit the number of high potassium foods you eat or avoid them altogether. Examples include:

  • There are oranges and orange juice.
  • There are bananas.
  • potatoes
  • Tomatoes and tomato products.
  • dairy products
  • There are beans and peas.

Check out this comprehensive list of both high and low potassium foods to discuss with your doctor or dietitian as you form an eating plan that will support your condition.

Some researchers need participants to help with research into new treatments for hyperkalemia.

You will likely receive treatment at little to no cost during the trial if you enroll.

If you’re interested in participating, see the current list of hyperkalemia clinical trials from the National Institutes of Health, and talk with your doctor about your eligibility.

The most common causes of hyperkalemia are diabetes, and kidney disease.

Additionally, research shows that having certain comorbidities, such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, could result in a higher risk for hospitalization. This can lead to additional costs, which can last long after you have left the hospital.

You may be able to reduce your blood potassium levels by treating certain diseases. Poorly managed diabetes is an example.

If your hyperkalemia is not caused by diet alone, talk with your doctor about ways you can help manage the underlying causes.

Hyperkalemia requires immediate treatment to prevent life threatening consequences. High costs can be caused by treating high potassium.

Some of the costs associated with your treatment may be reduced with a few steps. Talk with your doctor about the ways in which you can save on your high potassium treatment.