I Can’t Afford to Get Sick
Everyone remembers the dreaded doctors visits of our youth. No one was excited about having a strange person shine a light in our eyes or press some tasteless Popsicle stick on our tongues. But nowadays, with the shortage of health insurance coverage becoming a major issue, adults have financial reasons to dread visiting the doctor.
People may joke about the fact that they cant afford to get sick due to the high cost of medical bills. But in some instances, because health care is so astronomically expensive without insurance, people honestly cannot afford to get sick. Unfortunately, this is true even if avoiding the doctor could result in major health issues down the line.
Health Care is Too Costly without Insurance
There have been complaints for many years that the cost of health care is climbing to levels no one can afford without health insurance, but the costs become flat-out unaffordable without some type of coverage.
So suppose you dont have coverage and suddenly become ill. How much are you likely to pay to receive help? Well, if you are able to make an appointment with a low-income clinic you could expect to pay upwards of $100 for a visit.
According to a 2003 Champaign County Christian Health Center report, the average cost for an office-based visit is around $121. Assuming that person makes three visits to the doctor for the same illness, they could pay upwards of $300, whereas a person with coverage might only pay $35-$50 out of pocket for the same care.
The costs increase significantly if a person cant secure an office-based appointment and instead has to visit the emergency room. While a person with health insurance might pay $50 to $100 for an emergency room visit as a part of their co-pay, a person without coverage averages $561, according to the health centers report.
And the cost of that emergency room visit could easily skyrocket into the thousands if the patient requires tests or has to stay in the hospital overnight.
For some, the only alternative to paying the high cost of health care is to avoid visiting the doctor. Unfortunately, the costs you could pay for taking this route could affect your health more than your wallet.
The Cost of Avoiding a Doctor is Higher Than You Think
If youre without health coverage, you may be tempted to avoid visiting your doctor to sidestep mounting medical debt. But studies have shown that this is not just a bad idea, but a dangerous one.
In 2009, a study released by the Cambridge Health Alliance revealed that those without health insurance have a 40% greater chance of dying than those with private insurance. Even more, a study conducted by a research team from Harvard in the same year revealed that trauma patients lacking health insurance are more likely to die.
Both sets of researchers found their stats to be true because many individuals who lack coverage do not receive care for an illness or injury until it has progressed to a level that has become irreversible. And those who do receive initial care in a clinic or emergency room are too apprehensive to return for continued treatment because of the high costs, which allows the condition to worsen unnecessarily.
Unfortunately, these stats show just how difficult a position those without health insurance are in.
If they dont visit a doctor, they could find themselves in worse physical condition. But if they decide to visit a doctor or emergency room for care, the astronomical costs could force them into medical bankruptcy where theyre faced with thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, in medical bills and no way out but to try to wipe their debt clean through the court system.
Avoid Illness to Sidestep Medical Costs until Insured
Many Americans are now left scratching their heads at the conundrum theyre faced with. If they dont get care when ill, they could die. And if they get care without insurance, they could fall into debt.
With so many people going without insurance , taking the right steps to improve health must become a priority.
If this is a route youve thought about taking, consider the following:
- Take advantage of free immunizations: Many times, health clinics and hospitals will offer free immunizations to the public, including tetanus and flu shots. Its good to take advantage of these immunizations to prevent illnesses that could require health care later.
- Get a yearly check-up: By visiting a low-income or free clinic yearly for a check-up, you could keep your health costs low while pinpointing an illness or condition that could become much more problematic down the line.
- Eat properly and exercise: Keeping in shape and eating your fruits and vegetables is a great way to lower your costs while keeping your health in check.
Also, since its impossible to avoid the doctors office altogether, you could consider to get you to the doctor if you need to go more than once a year or twice a year.
Its true that millions of people are in the same position of feeling that they simply cant afford to get sick. If you fall into this categoryuntil you get your hands on health insuranceits good to take every measure to ensure you avoid a high office or hospital bill.
Stacey Bumpus started writing as a youngster, creating little fun newsletters to distribute to her elementary school friends. But it wasn’t until she completed her bachelors and masters degrees in communication that she realized her fun pastime could become a career.
After spending years in corporate communications, she discovered that freelancing was her cup of tea and fell in love with finding the latest financial news. Now, providing news and tips about taxes, mortgages, banking and even logging her efforts to save toward retirement, she’s not only fulfilling her childhood passion, but also helping others manage their finances responsibly.
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