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Category: Health & Wellness / Topics: Cost of Living Financial Health Care

Health Insurance

by Dan Seagren

Posted: August 16, 2009

We're hearing a lot about health care and insurance, including the number who are uninsured…

We're hearing a lot about Health Insurance nowadays. Should it be government run, private or a combination? Let's face it. Health Insurance can be costly, both to the employee as well as the employer. Some employers simply cannot or will not provide it. Those who are well-covered can consider themselves most fortunate

But what about those who cannot or will not pay for it whether in part or in full. Since there seems to be an alarming number of uninsured, lets check in with a few fictional uninsureds to see why.

Alex has been unemployed and now works three jobs to make ends meet. Very little is left over after payday and they live from paycheck to paycheck. With three little ones, they hold their breath that nothing serious befalls their family. Insurance just isn't an option until Alex finds a permanent, full-time job with benefits.

Bart has always been a loser it seems. In other words, he is never lucky. But he does have a job, and the employer will pay part of health insurance but Bart says no. He'd rather use the money for “better things” like eating out 3-4 times a week (he says his wife doesn't like cooking or housework but is not employed). Besides, he is a car nut and trades often which he has found to be rather expensive but enjoyable.

Charlie refuses to pay for health insurance because he says it is a ripoff. He could well afford it but refuses, taking his chances on his health especially because he's single.

Delvin can't seem to hold a job. He is argumentative, cocky, never wrong and goes from job to job. He has been divorced more than once, refuses to pay child support much less alimony and believes he is not vulnerable to illness, accident or disability.

Ellie is a single mom with three little ones with three absentee, irresponsible fathers. She would like to work but can't seem to manage her own struggles much less three little ones. So she, like many others, resorts to going to hospital emergency rooms, both for inconsequential maladies as well as serious ailments.

Fritz is another gambler. He is employed, his wife works part time, but his company does not pay any health benefits. His argument for not paying for health insurance says the money he saves takes care of his and her vices: smoking, boozing (his words), fast foods, and a bit of gambling (hoping to make a killing but never come close so far).

Gigi is a career girl with a six-figure salary who opted out of her company's available health insurance, taking the money instead. While riding high in her position, she felt invincible. But to her dismay she discovered she had a serious disease which hospitalized her immediately. Poor Gigi, she could have been well-insured but instead had to absorb the costs.

As you can see, there are many reasons why people are uninsured (or under insured), and not all for financial reasons. These are merely a few illustrations. It would seem that any compulsory program would meet a certain amount of resistance, particularly if there were any out-of-pocket money involved. If there are nearly fifty million uninsured (including 11-12 million undocumented immigrants), would a national mandatory coverage take into account these and many other reluctant citizens who seemingly have inflexible minds of their own? If so, how?



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Dan Seagren is an active retiree whose writings reflect his life as a Pastor, author of several books, and service as a Chaplain in a Covenant Retirement Community.

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Posted: August 16, 2009   Accessed 155 times

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