Health Insurance
Health insurance is one of the most hotly debated subjects in the world as of late; especially in America. In today's economic climate, it is no surprise that many people lobby for universal health care, as so many Americans are currently living without health insurance. The issue is, like anything, divided amongst those who feel that universal health care is an absolute necessity and those who feel as if it would be nothing but problems. It is best to look at the facts before evaluating this situation yourself.
An important thing to note is that lack of health insurance is much more prevalent among minority groups than it is among Caucasians. This may well be related to the fact that Caucasians are more likely to hold jobs in which health insurance is offered, and that minorities may live in areas in which health insurance is hard to acquire. The interesting thing to note about this is that minorities tend to report their feelings about their health as being lower than Caucasians. For instance, in a study conducted in 2001 pertaining to the perception of one's own health, 37.1% of Caucasian participants rated their health as "excellent," while only 31.3% of black participants rated their health as the same. This invariably shows that minorities may indeed be more in need of health insurance news than anyone, which is the Catch-22 of the current situation in America.
The data regarding who is covered by health insurance in America and who is not - split up by race - is astounding. According to a study done in 2001, 196,281 participants of Caucasian decent reported that they were currently
Most everyone agrees that the health care system in the U.S. needs some type of reform. Escalating costs, reduced coverage and the lack of medical services make frightening prospects for many people. Statistics indicate that over 47 million people are currently without any type of health insurance. If this trend continues, those who do pay for coverage will have to pay higher premiums to make up the difference. No one seems to have an easy answer to this difficult problem of how to provide health care to the majority of Americans. It may be in the works or may not but until a good solution is determined and implemented, finding health care coverage on an independent basis provides some protection. A periodic check of health insurance quotes may help keep the health care issue in perspective for those who must buy their own coverage.
The Best Sources for Health Insurance Quotes
Submitting an online application to obtain a health insurance quote is typically a free process. The greatest risk is the chance of receiving unsolicited emails, junk mail or phone calls particularly from various agents. Revealing personal information such as SSN and home address should not be required for a preliminary quote. In some cases, general information about quotes from specific carriers may be received with only an email address but for specific and accurate quotes, contacting an agent is the best option.
For families or individuals who already have some form of coverage such as an employer sponsored program, a good source for researching supplemental insurance is through the existing carrier. It may be most cost effective to just increase the policy. Most states in the U.S. regulate insurance premiums so that working with an agent from a major carrier does not mean paying a commission for a new policy.
Range of Costs for Coverage
The U.S. spent 2.3 trillion dollars last year on health care, which is approximately 17.6% of the gross domestic product (GDP). With the rapid increase in the cost of a health care policy, a large portion of the family budget may be consumed by premiums. In 2008, the average price for a family of four ranged between $12,000 and $15,000 and that figure is expected to rise in 2009. Unfortunately, the average family needs to continue paying health care premiums in order to avoid significant financial hardship in the case of a severe medical emergency. A compromise to consider is catastrophic coverage that provides a gap especially during any periods of unemployment.
Is Coverage Worth the cost?
Statistically, people without any health care benefits are more inclined to use a hospital room to receive treatment. They know that they will probably be seen where a doctor’s receptionist may refuse to let them see a physician. The risk of going without health insurance is twofold. First, it could be devastating financially to a family or individual. Second, the chance of not receiving any treatment for an ailment will continue to rise. More doctors are refusing patients with government insurance such as Medicare and only taking patients who have full coverage. Choosing some type of health care coverage is worth the cost to prevent financial disaster and to ensure good care in case of an emergency. Selecting a plan that includes an HMO or PPO typically reduces the patient’s payment responsibilities.