The chief reasons why hospital and doctor insurance has such a high price tag currently is that medical procedures cost a lot and are probably over used. Doctors now routinely perform many costly procedures that were unheard of when our parents were our age. Our sedentary lifestyles also indirectly raise our rates. We need medical treatment more than we should.
One way to lower our expenses for healthcare insurance would be to reduce the number of bypass operations and angioplasties that are performed. In the good old days of less expensive health insurance, these procedures were performed much less frequently.
Of course lowering the number of medical interventions without reducing the medical necessity for those interventions would simply result in lives being shortened. The unwanted side effect of lowering costs is often lowering effectiveness.
A tremendous percentage of medical expenses are generated in the last years or even months of life. In an attempt to extend life we often will spare no expense.
From a purely dollars and cents standpoint, extending the useful life of a forty year old helps our country more than extending the life of an eighty year old. Chances are the forty year old is working and paying taxes. If they were to die she or he would stop paying income taxes. If they were to become disabled they would not only stop paying taxes, but might also start being paid money from the government in the form of Social Security benefits. Extending the life of a senior citizen who is no longer paying earning contributing to our GDP or taxes and who is currently receiving government benefits has the reverse effect.
Money isn't everything but, we should at least be conscious of the fact that helping today's tax-paying workers continue to be tax-paying workers puts more money in our pockets that we can use for other things. Those other things can include extending the life of our retired citizens.
Unless you are a legislator, there is probably not a lot that you can do to change what healthcare insurance expenses for everyone else. However, there may be a lot you can do to keep the costs down for yourself and your family.
Do what you can to stay in good medical condition. Being active and eating good foods in the right quantities will do several things for your health care costs.
If you are healthier you will need your health care insurance less often. This means that you will have fewer co-pays and other out-of-pocket expenses to pay. You will qualify for better premiums if you need to purchase private or individual medical insurance.
Shop around for coverage. Look at not only different medical insurance carriers, but different places to get medical insurance from. If you are eligible for COBRA, for example don't just look at COBRA. Consider private health care insurance also.
Hospital and Doctor insurance is expensive for several reasons. Many of the reasons that it is so costly are beyond our control. However, we can take the time to research the hospital and doctor insurance options available to us and do what we can to stay in good medical condition and thereby lower health care expenses for ourselves and our families.
One way to lower our expenses for healthcare insurance would be to reduce the number of bypass operations and angioplasties that are performed. In the good old days of less expensive health insurance, these procedures were performed much less frequently.
Of course lowering the number of medical interventions without reducing the medical necessity for those interventions would simply result in lives being shortened. The unwanted side effect of lowering costs is often lowering effectiveness.
A tremendous percentage of medical expenses are generated in the last years or even months of life. In an attempt to extend life we often will spare no expense.
From a purely dollars and cents standpoint, extending the useful life of a forty year old helps our country more than extending the life of an eighty year old. Chances are the forty year old is working and paying taxes. If they were to die she or he would stop paying income taxes. If they were to become disabled they would not only stop paying taxes, but might also start being paid money from the government in the form of Social Security benefits. Extending the life of a senior citizen who is no longer paying earning contributing to our GDP or taxes and who is currently receiving government benefits has the reverse effect.
Money isn't everything but, we should at least be conscious of the fact that helping today's tax-paying workers continue to be tax-paying workers puts more money in our pockets that we can use for other things. Those other things can include extending the life of our retired citizens.
Unless you are a legislator, there is probably not a lot that you can do to change what healthcare insurance expenses for everyone else. However, there may be a lot you can do to keep the costs down for yourself and your family.
Do what you can to stay in good medical condition. Being active and eating good foods in the right quantities will do several things for your health care costs.
If you are healthier you will need your health care insurance less often. This means that you will have fewer co-pays and other out-of-pocket expenses to pay. You will qualify for better premiums if you need to purchase private or individual medical insurance.
Shop around for coverage. Look at not only different medical insurance carriers, but different places to get medical insurance from. If you are eligible for COBRA, for example don't just look at COBRA. Consider private health care insurance also.
Hospital and Doctor insurance is expensive for several reasons. Many of the reasons that it is so costly are beyond our control. However, we can take the time to research the hospital and doctor insurance options available to us and do what we can to stay in good medical condition and thereby lower health care expenses for ourselves and our families.