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Affordable Health Insurance Plan: Why You Need One

Many people don't give health insurance much thought. It's just something provided by their employer, and they don't have much say in the terms or conditions of the health insurance provider's coverage. Lots of other people don't worry about health insurance too much because they are young or have been healthy all their lives.

We are all aware that the cost of health care is rising significantly, and is expected to do so in the years to come. As baby boomers get older, they access the health care system more frequently, and advances in the technology of treatment have resulted in higher costs as well. In America, we expect to have access to the best medical care, but are often surprised how much this care costs.

Health insurance is important for all of us to have because the cost of treatment resulting from a serious illness, or an accident, can be enormous. Not being adequately covered can have devastating consequences to an individual's finances, wiping out their savings. Health insurance, then, isn't just a convenient thing to have to lower the cost of a routine doctor's visit, or give you a price break on prescription drugs. It is a vital tool to protect your family's assets from the liability of a huge health care bill.

You never know when a serious illness might strike. Having a history of good health is no guarantee of that being the case in the future. We all age, and the likelihood is that most of us, sometime, will be faced with a serious medical condition.

Health insurance also promotes wellness, by providing consumers with information about preventive care and tests that should be done to ensure early detection of illnesses. Many policies cover most or all of the cost of these tests. In effect, the insurer is a partner, with your doctor, in trying to make sure you stay healthy. It's in the health insurance provider's best interest, too: they save money if you don't have expensive claims.

When you obtain health insurance, one of the first things you do is find out if your doctor is part of that provider's network. Your out-of-pocket costs are usually lower if you use an in-network physician. This encourages consumers who don't have doctors to find one; and it is a good idea to already have a relationship in place with a doctor before you have an illness. The doctor will already be aware of your medical history.

Surgeries and treatments for serious illnesses can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Looked at it from this perspective, the annual premium for health insurance is a good value for the benefit it provides. With the myriad of health care plans available, the choices of coverage and deductibles, you can design a health insurance plan that fits your budget and protects your assets�and free you from the worry of not being able to afford medical care when you need it most.

With a little effort you may be able to lower your health insurance costs and find cheap health insurance.