The Importance of Health Insurance

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The Importance of Health Insurance

There’s a good reason why health insurance is such a hotly contested topic in political and social circles. It’s simply important. Many people have it but there are also many who don’t. Then there are those who have insurance that is not adequate for their needs. You may feel that you can get by without health insurance. You take care of yourself, you don’t get sick and you are very careful. That’s just not the case. Everyone should have healthcare coverage.

It Only Takes One

You may be hyper careful, have a strong constitution and take excellent care of yourself. But it only takes one serious illness or accident to decimate you financially. The most careful drivers are frequently injured in accidents caused by those not as careful. There are people who are not cautious and spread their germs. Everyone is vulnerable. Without health insurance, you could end up with medical bills in the thousands. Hospitals do send overdue bills to collections and they do sue. You can even buy health insurance online.

Lesser Medical Care

It is true that hospitals must legally provide medical care for the uninsured. However, they commonly receive care that is less timely and of lesser quality. The amount of money in dollars spent on caring for the uninsured is overall about half what is spent on people with coverage. That means less experienced doctors, lesser medicines and lesser treatments. That adds up to lesser health.

Less Successful Outcomes

If you have an illness or are badly injured, what kind of outcome do you want? To be fully recovered of course. But people who are not insured generally have less successful outcomes. Numerous studies employing a wide variety of data and analyses have found that the risk of death for the uninsured for certain chronic conditions is about 25% higher than for the insured. That is a significant difference and well worth taking note of.

Safety-Net Hospitals

There are the safety-net hospitals that provide care to people without insurance, but these facilities are often underfunded and though they do provide care, it’s often not of the same standard as for those with coverage. Safety-net facilities may also have less continuity of care.

Benefits of Expanding Coverage

A fact that is often overlooked is that the more people that have health insurance, the less medical care will cost overall. Doctor’s and ER visits and hospital stays are sometimes billed higher to make up for those who can’t pay. This can lead to higher premiums for those who have insurance. Getting a majority of the public covered can help to stabilize medical costs and thus premiums. 

There are things in life without which you cannot survive such as oxygen, food and water. Things like shelter, a source of income and transportation are high on the list of necessities. Health insurance ranks equally with all three of those. Remaining uninsured is a big risk that can result in bankruptcy, a life-changing medical condition or even death. Health insurance is available. Find the plan that is right for you.

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