As health care reform continues to dominate the political news cycle, millions of Americans struggle with real, everyday issues related to the cost of their medical coverage. But with the technical terms thrown around in the halls of government, there are scores of people who don't quite understand why health care reform is necessary, how it effects them personally, and why it is essential that every single American be insured.
Being Uninsured Can Cost You Your House, Life Savings, And More
There are a few primary reasons why Congress is aiming to include universal coverage in its legislation, essentially ensuring that every American has some form of insurance. Chief among them is that the cost of uninsurance has contributed significantly to the economic crisis and recession. Every day, US families who don't have medical insurance are losing their homes, their life savings, and more as a direct result of their inability to pay the skyrocketing cost of out-of-pocket medical care.
In fact, "medical bankruptcy," or bankruptcy brought about by an individual's inability to pay health care costs, is the single most common cause of home foreclosure. More than one out of every four homes that fall into foreclosure are brought about by an inability to pay for medical bills. And it's more common than you think. Every 30 seconds, someone in this country files for medical bankruptcy. Since 2000, 5 million families in this country have filed for bankruptcy in the aftermath of serious medical problems, many of whom assumed that they'd be healthy enough to avoid needing to see a doctor. But when the unexpected occurs- from cancer to car accident- Americans who never pictured anything like it happening to them are left footing the entire bill, with no help from an insurance carrier.
But on a larger scale, uninsurance is one major reason why the cost of health care in this country is so high. If an uninsured patient can't pay his medical bills out of pocket, he declares bankruptcy, and the hospital eats the cost. The hospital then raises the prices on the rest of the consumers to offset the losses caused by the uninsured. Multiplied over the entire population, that leads to higher health care costs in general.
In Case of Emergency: Catastrophic Coverage May Be the Answer
Many health care providers today offer inexpensive, flexible plans for individuals who might not need to see a doctor on a regular basis, but want to be covered in the event of an accident or unexpected illness. While this option doesn't provide the preventative care benefits of a more conventional plan, it allows people who don't typically need medical care to pay a very low premium that will cover emergency room services, hospitalization costs, and medical procedures only.
How You Can Protect Yourself
Today, 50 million Americans are uninsured. Protect yourself and your future by getting a health insurance plan that will cover you if you're ever hurt or become sick. It may end up being quite a bit less expensive than you think, and certainly cost you less than paying for whatever care you need out of pocket.
EyesOnObama.com is putting together a list of health insurance options for readers who are interested in getting care or switching care. Fill out the form below to receive free, no-obligation information on coverage options from different carriers that might be affordable for you.
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