After 2019, health insurance is no longer mandatory under federal law. But it’s still vitally important – both for your physical and financial wellbeing. Medical care can be incredibly expensive without health insurance, but thankfully, health insurance is more accessible than you may assume.
Financial Health
Medical debt is the number one cause of bankruptcy in the United States. In 2019, it accounted for 66.5% of all bankruptcy filings. A 2020 study found that 1 out of 4 Americans ignored their symptoms and skipped medical treatment, just to escape the expenses.
But when you skip treatment, the situation only worsens, and this fear may lead to you being in a life or death situation for something that could have been taken care of when symptoms first presented themselves.
Health insurance makes it so that it doesn’t have to be this way. With health insurance, you only pay a fraction of what an uninsured person would have to pay. Your costs may include copays, deductibles, coinsurance, and premiums, but these pale in comparison to the major costs.
Countless Options
Some individuals go without health insurance because they feel as though they can’t afford it. But now there are multiple government-sponsored healthcare programs that make treatments affordable to those who are economically disadvantaged. Medicaid, Medicare, and Affordable Care Act policies are a few examples of this. All are readily available so that you can get the treatment you need without suffering financially.
Health insurance also varies from plan to plan. Some offer types of coverage that others don’t – dental and vision treatments, for example, are absent from certain forms of health insurance. These differences between policies gives you an opportunity to get something that fits you, all while being at a cost you can afford.
Provider Network Allows For Better Coordination Of Care
Some health insurance policies restrict coverage to a network of healthcare professionals, and while this may seem prohibitive, it actually works better in your favor. When you get coverage within a network, your treatments are generally going to come from medical professionals who have seen you many times before. As a result, the doctors you see will be able to give you better direction for your treatment.
Your policy may reinforce this by giving you greater discounts for seeing certain medical providers. In this way, health insurance allows you to get better guidance and lower treatment costs at the same time.
It Can Help You Afford Medications, Too
This is one feature that may go under the radar. Health insurance can make prescription medications affordable so that you’ll be able to safely manage your condition. If you have a serious condition, forgoing medication can be deadly. And suddenly deciding not to take medications out of concern for costs is another fatal error. But with health insurance, these costs are kept to a minimum.
Your Health Is Our Priority
At The Coleman Agency, we can help you find a health insurance policy that works for you. We will provide a consultation in which you can get information on a health insurance plan that works best for you, and we’ll provide a free quote for you. Don’t ignore your health. Call us today at (803) 802-7507.
