Health Insurance Problems

Problems with Health Insurance

In the United States health insurance is one of the topics most often talked about. No one can agree on how programs should work, but nearly every citizen believes that the system is seriously flawed. There are thousands of uninsured, even though the US is the wealthiest nation in the world. Dissention in this arena comes from some believing that basic coverage is a natural right for everyone and that there should be some socialized type of program. Those opposed point to countries that have a national system in place, and point out their flaws, such as rising costs through taxation and poor quality of care. Also many people don't believe that the more affluent should have to pay for those less fortunate. The one thing that everyone seems to agree on is that there won't be a solution any time soon.

Doctors and Insurance

Some doctors, once considered to be among the wealthiest demographic, are now struggling to make ends meet. In order to lower their expenses many insurance companies have formed health maintenance organizations (HMOs). They have been able to set lower prices for procedures than the doctors normally charged. That basically means that a physician can charge anything he chooses, but the HMO will only pay the established fee. This was partly due to Medicare, which is federally funded health insurance for seniors and people who meet certain criteria, such as being disabled. Doctors are also frequently being sued for malpractice and spending more for insurance to cover those expenses.

Group Coverage

The best coverage is usually under a group policy offered by many companies for their employees. The bigger the company, the more able they are to buy optimal health insurance coverage. This is of course because they have more funds available to pay for it. As medical treatment costs escalate, more and more of these corporations are requiring that workers pay for at least a portion of the monthly premium.

Individual Coverage

Individual health insurance policies are extremely expensive. Those who can afford it at all are usually only able to pay for limited coverage such as hospitalization. There is often a waiting period for coverage of a pre-existing condition, and in some states it may be excluded altogether. A site where you can check out insurance laws in your state for medical coverage is http://www.healthinsuranceinfo.net.