The Risks of Living without Health Insurance

More than 48 million Americans do not currently have health insurance. That’s one in seven people. The uninsured rates in the country are some of the highest in the Western world. While getting medical insurance can be expensive, the risks of going without this valuable coverage are great. Below are some of those risks.

Out-of-Pocket Costs

One of the biggest problems happens when someone who lacks health insurance is involved in a serious accident or develops a chronic illness. The medical costs can be daunting for these procedures. A single night in the hospital costs thousands of dollars! Most people cannot afford to pay that kind of a bill. In fact, the number one cause of personal bankruptcy in the United States is medical bills. Some hospitals do provide programs that will pay a portion of those costs but the income requirements are sometimes very low to quality and these funds are being used in greater numbers as more people join the ranks of the uninsured.

Limited Access to Health Care

Some health care facilities will not accept patients who do not have some type of health insurance. One individual was required to pay a $100 down payment before being permitted to see a physical therapist after breaking her thumb. Without the down payment, the physician had the right to refuse treating her. Many other physicians will turn away patients in need because they fear not being paid for their services and assume treatment will be received elsewhere.

Delayed Health Care

In efforts to control their medical bills, people are uninsured tend to put off seeing a physician. As a result, they end up with more serious health problems and must receive more expensive treatment. Most go to the emergency room at public hospitals which are not allowed to turn away patients regardless of their ability to pay. Research has shown that uninsured individuals who have breast cancer are more likely to die from the disease than those who do have health insurance.

Inability to Obtain Coverage Later

If you’ve been temporarily uninsured, you may face a horrible reality when trying to purchase a policy later on. If you have anything that could be deemed a pre-existing condition, those expenses will not be covered under the new policy. With some policies, the condition does not even have to be diagnosed to be considered pre-existing. You just needed to exhibit symptoms that would have led most people to seek medical attention. That means you are being penalized for spending time uninsured.

Spend More on Other Types of Insurance

Without health insurance to cover personal injuries, chances are you’ll need to spend more on your auto insurance to make sure you have coverage in case you are involved in a wreck and require serious medical care. That means you’ll be spending more for coverage you need. If you don’t, then you’re putting yourself at risk for financial ruin. An accident could easily drain your bank accounts, any savings you have, and could lead to bankruptcy.

Inferior Health Care

Many communities have addressed the growing number of uninsured people by fostering low-cost community health centers that offer their services on a sliding scale fee. Having some access to medical care may seem like a good thing but often this care is not effective. Because of the large number of patients being seen at these centers, appointment times for new patients can take as long as a month to set up. Even if you need an emergency medical visit because of an illness, you’ll have to wait hours either at home for an appointment or as a walk-in in the center’s lobby.

The physicians and nurses try their best but must see such a high volume of patients they cannot spend much time with anyone which makes it harder to build a relationship of trust that would encourage patients to talk about their care. Plus, doctors don’t remember the details of their health or treatment so mistakes are more common.

Inability to Purchase Prescriptions

Prescription drugs have become so expensive in the United States that without health insurance which offsets some of the costs the prescriptions are literally not affordable. For example, after one uninsured family rushed their daughter to the emergency room for stitches on her foot, the attending physician prescribed antibiotics that cost $150 for a one week supply. Thankfully, a different doctor rewrote the prescription for a lower cost antibiotic. Otherwise, the little girl may have been at risk for a serious infection because of her parents’ lack of health insurance.

Higher Cost Options

Another drawback for people who do not have health insurance is that when they do seek medical care they often have no choice but to seek out the most expensive routes. Emergency rooms are often their only real choice. That visit can cost hundreds of dollars even when no tests are done. If they don’t go to the emergency room, they may end up at convenience care centers that provide after hours treatment in local areas at a high cost. Payment is usually due upfront or the patient is turned away.

Lack of Preventative Care

Without health insurance, people do not pursue preventative care which could help them catch diseases early and lower their medical care costs down the road. Children who come from uninsured families are more likely not to have their required vaccinations prior to starting school (most states require them for entrance to public schools) and that puts them at great risk of contracting diseases which have been controlled for decades.

March 16, 2009, Posted by Rainy Day Mitch