There are myriad complexities in health care, and plans don’t make it easy to understand their rules. But if you think you are just a passive player like a cork on a health-care ocean, think again. There are things you can do to lower your health care costs.

Talk to Your Doctor

If you are a loyal patient with tight finances, explain your need to see a doctor and ask for a break on the cost of an office visit. You may be surprised by the answer. Also, if you can afford to pay cash for the visit, you save them the processing time for insurance claims. Because of this, inquire about a 10 percent savings on the visit.

Talk to your health care provider about prescriptions. Ask about generic drugs as substitutes for some of your brand-name drugs.

“There are a lot of plans that will charge a significantly greater copay if you use a brand name drug versus a generic,” says Martin Rosen, author of The Healthcare Survival Guide. He says, “Taking the generic can be a big, big savings.” Generics usually cost 30 to 80 percent less than brand-name drugs. Consult with your physician to ensure the generic is as effective as the name brand.

Speaking of drugs, talk to your doctor about the possibility of pill splitting. This is advantageous if doubling your pill dose so you can cut it in half is cheaper than single pill dosages. Keep in mind that this is not an option if you take capsules or time-release medication.