These days the question of whether to have health insurance, not even a consideration years ago, is moot. The cost of health expenses, I won’t even call it "health care", is astronomical. In a typical asinine governmental response to escalating costs for doctor/hospital services, the invention of "insurance" for this high cost has taken place. Is it conceivable that, if the cost of bread gets too high, that "bread insurance" will come into being? One of the problems is that the cost of health insurance is ridiculously high. A second problem is that a person seeking such insurance must jump through many hoops in order to secure it. A third problem is that this health insurance has been made mandatory (a marriage between insurance companies and the White House?). We won’t even go into the co-pays, deductibles, and other add-on features of this corrupt system. Instead, let’s take a look at some of the problems and try to find a solution, or two, so that we can save a few bucks.

1. The cost of health insurance is high. Just like the dreaded car insurance that is mandatory, health insurance, now that it has been made mandatory, will have competing companies raising their rates in order to make more money than their competitors. They know that all of us have no choice but to purchase from somewhere, so it is a field day for insurance salespeople. About thirty years ago, when I wanted to protect my family from any big medical expenses, I purchased a rider to my home owners insurance package. It cost me about three hundred dollars per year for the four of us with a one thousand dollar deductible. Thus, we were safe from really serious medical  problems, and luckily, I never had to use the insurance. Today, the cost for a family of four would probably be in the neighborhood of two thousand dollars per month with a ten thousand dollar deductible and many other add-on fees. But wait, remember the part where I never had to use the insurance? Most people are healthy, never needing to go for medical services. Why should they have to pay for insurance? I elected to have some coverage because I was able to afford it, and the kids were little – you never know what can happen. But today, whether you want it or not, you must pay out huge sums for something that you may never need. Possible solution: shop around and bargain with several companies. Sales people make commissions on sales, not good looks. They have to sell their product; make them work for it.

2. When a person goes to purchase insurance, there are numerous qualifications. If you are in perfect health, have never sneezed in your whole life, and your genetics show fifteen generations of your family have never even sneezed once in their entire lives, you can probably get the best rates available. But, if you have had the normal diseases that everyone gets, a few broken bones here and there, or you have sneezed more than once in your life, the rates are going to be very high. The more indicators of past medical problems, the higher the rates will go. Even worse, if you have had any serious health problems, most insurance companies with refuse to cover you. You see, just like all insurance companies, the health insurance people only want to cover people who will never put in a claim for benefits. Oddly, who among us wants to put in a claim? Once you do, they will raise your rates, or they will drop you. So, we don’t want to put in a claim, and the company doesn’t want to have a claim. Sounds like it should be a perfect system, but you will be punished if you use your insurance for that which it was intended. Possible solution: pick your insurance carrier based upon their willingness to help you with the red tape. Do you get the impression that they care about your health, or do they just want your money? If they will refuse you benefits when you are in need, or if they demand that you appear to have never been sick before they will cover you, look elsewhere.

3. Mandatory health insurance is one more example of the government taking away some of your freedom. If you want to not have insurance, you should be allowed to take that option. Maybe you are single and you have a great track record for good health. If you choose to not have insurance, you will probably save the cost of premiums for your whole life. On the other hand, if you have small children and many years to go before they will be out of your protective wing, then you might be wise to purchase insurance – just in case. But it should be your choice, not an interfering government that is promoting socialism. Possible solution: do your research to find another country on this planet where freedom still exists. (If you find one, please let me know!)

4. As it stands, there are few options to the problem of mandatory heath insurance. Possible solution: get somebody else to pay for it. Most people, who are working full time, have health insurance as one of their benefits; it is part of the pay that they receive for services rendered. The patient has a few out-of-pocket expenses but, compared to the premiums, these are incidental. If you are more than sixty-five years of age, you can apply for Medicare. Part A, the part that covers hospital services, is free. Part B, the part that covers doctors services, has a premium that they will deduct from the monthly social security payments that you receive. There are parts C and D, as well, covering other aspects of health care. You do, however, have to be over sixty-five years, and you must be eligible for social security. Anyone who has worked a job for about ten years and who has paid into social security from their paycheck, will qualify. Another way to get coverage is to take advantage of military service. If you are a veteran of any of the armed services, you are eligible to get health care from the Veterans Administration.