The Importance Of Having Health Insurance
No one ever plans to get sick or to be injured in an accident, those things just happen, sometimes even despite all the care and preventative measures we take. When we do fall ill if it’s serious enough, we need medical attention and sadly, that is not usually free. Hospital bills can grow to enormous amounts quickly, depending on the seriousness of our ailments, and this becomes a big problem if we don’t have enough money to pay them! This is why it’s always in our best interests to maintain a health insurance policy.
Health insurance is basically a contract between you and your insurance company. When you purchase a plan, you pay into it every month, then the provider agrees to pay a portion of your medical bills when you become sick or are injured. For many people, the best type of coverage to get is insurance for pre existing conditions that doesn’t deny you based on illnesses you already have. A pre-existing condition happens when you have received treatment or a diagnosis before you have enrolled in a new health insurance plan and it will not be covered by some policies. These pre-existing conditions are typically chronic illnesses and incurable medical conditions, some of the most common are as follows:
- Asthma
- Epilepsy
- Diabetes
- Lupus
- Cancer
- Depression
- Fibromyalgia
- Parkinson’s disease
- Dementia / Alzheimer’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Hepatitis B, C, D
- Heart attack (within the last 5 years)
- Cerebral palsy
- Anorexia nervosa/bulimia
That is just the short list of some of the most common! There are many more pre-existing conditions that can prevent you from purchasing the kind of health insurance you want to have and it can be a real problem. Fortunately, the problem is being addressed and now many insurance providers are creating policies that do not deny coverage for people who suffer from pre-conditions. This is a very positive step, because it is vital that every person has insurance coverage!
There are some other important benefits to having a health insurance plan in place. Many plans available now provide their customers with free preventive care such as vaccinations, health screenings, and frequent check-ups. Some also cover a portion of the costs for your prescription drugs. Having a solid health insurance plan will help you get access to top-notch medical providers who you can rely on to have an in-depth understanding of your individual medical needs.
When you have health insurance, you pay some of the costs yourself while your insurance provider pays the rest. It basically works like this:
Premium – A premium is the fixed monthly amount you pay to your insurance plan every month, even if you do not undergo any medical care.
Deductible – The deductible is the amount you pay for your care before the health insurance company begins to pay its share.
Co-pay – The co-pay is a fixed amount you have to pay for a medical service, like a visit to the doctor’s office. You pay a portion, then the insurance pays the rest.
Your health is important, so make sure it is protected by health insurance!
