BRENTWOOD, Tenn. -- You can't control when you get sick, but you can try and control the cost of your care.

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Robert Hendrick, the Co-Founder of Change:Health Care, advises big companies on how to cut down on health care costs. Among his suggestions, when possible, patients should see a nurse practitioner at a walk-in clinic.

"There you're going to pay $50 for an office visit. When you go to your primary care physician, by the time you run a strep throat test, and things like that, it's going cost you $150, maybe even $200."

At a time when money it's tight, it's tempting to use plastic to pay your bills, but Hendrick said you should avoid using your credit card.

"You really don't want to put things on your credit card that are medical bills because it gets viewed differently on your credit report," said Hendrick. "As soon as you move it to a credit card debt, its consumer debt though. It's not medical debt."

Another place to save is when filling prescriptions. In Metro Nashville, the price differences can be significant.

"Some of the best pricing is to be found in the Nashville area, maybe around Franklin. Some the most expensive areas are the less affluent areas. Prices can vary by as much as 40 percent," said Hendrick.

Finally, as strange as this next tip may sound, consider "Do it Yourself Medicine." Ask your doctor if there's anything you can do to cut the cost of a procedure.

"I had surgery on my legs and it was done as an outpatient surgery. The physician said, 'Why don't you shave your legs ahead of time. It saves us and it saves you,'" noted Hendrick.

Hendrick's company operates a Twitter account where the public can ask questions about everything from drug prices to names of generics.

Below are four ways to save on your medical care costs:

1. Go to nurse practitioner when possible
2. Shop around for prescriptions. Prices can vary by 40 percent in Nashville
3. Don't use your credit cards to pay medical bills. Looks negative on your credit score
4. Ask your doctor if there's anything you can do to cut costs. For example shaving parts of your body for surgery instead of having a nurse do it.