Why Is Medical Insurance So Expensive

The primary reasons why medical insurance costs us so much currently  is that medical procedures cost a lot and are probably over used.  Doctors now routinely perform many super-expensive operations and procedures that were unknown a short while ago.  Our sedentary lifestyles also indirectly raise our rates.  We need medical care more as our society becomes less healthy.

One way to reduce our costs for health insurance would be to lower the number of bypass operations and other cardiovascular procedures that are performed.  In the good old days of economical hospital and doctor insurance, these medical interventions were performed much less frequently.

Of course lowering the number of interventions without lowering the need for those operations would simply result in higher mortality.  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 money making 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 she or he were to die she or he would stop paying income taxes.  If she or he were to become disabled they would not only stop paying into the system, 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 has stopped paying earning contributing to our GDP or taxes and who is currently receiving government benefits has the reverse effect.

Although we shouldn't make all of our decisions based on money, we should at least be conscious of the importance of 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 older citizens.

Unless you are a in congress, there is probably not a lot that you can do to change what medical insurance costs for everyone else.  However, there may be a lot you can do to keep expenses down for yourself and your family.

Do what you can to stay fit.  Being active and eating healthy foods in moderation will do several things for your medical expenses including the cost for insurance. 

If you are healthier  you will use your health care  insurance with less frequency.  This means that you will have less coinsurance 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 health care insurance.  Look at not only different  insurance companies, but different places to get coverage from.  If you are eligible for COBRA, for example don't just look at COBRA.  Consider private healthcare insurance as well.

Healthcare 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 health insurance options available to us and do what we can to stay hale and hearty and thereby lower the costs for ourselves and our families.