Posted: 12/07/09
Being out of work is difficult enough. Being left with no health insurance adds salt to the wound. With the current recession, rising unemployment and a dramatic decline in employer-sponsored health coverage, an increasing number of Americans are finding themselves uninsured. The federal government estimates that over 45 million Americans had no medical coverage during 2008. Why being uninsured is a problem
Once unemployed, the majority of individuals choose to forgo medical coverage due to a lack of quality, affordable options in the individual health insurance market. But having no health insurance - even temporarily - can have devastating financial and health consequences.
- On average, the uninsured are 9 to 10 times more likely to forgo medical care due to cost and twice as likely to have medical debt.
- No medical coverage compromises the health of the uninsured because they receive less preventative care, are diagnosed at more advanced disease stages and, once diagnosed, tend to receive less therapeutic care and are more likely to die than insured.
- Access to an emergency room for uninsured patients does not qualify as access to coordinated care. While physicians are required to stabilize patients in an emergency, they are not required to treat the condition comprehensively.
We've already shown why going without medical coverage is not a smart choice. If individual health insurance is not a viable option either due to a pre-existing condition or financial constraints, a discount health program can provide a way to make doctor visits, medical treatment and prescriptions more affordable. Discount health insurance companies do not provide health insurance; they offer supplemental benefit plans that offer negotiated discounts with participating providers. Discount health plans can help lower the costs on physician and hospital visits, dental and vision care, chiropractic and alternative medicine and prescription drugs.
Even those who have insurance can benefit from a discount health plan. Many of these plans offer supplemental packages that include dental, vision, prescription, and chiropractic benefits which may not be covered under traditional insurance. A discount plan can reduce out-of-pocket costs and provide relief against services not covered by primary insurance.
How discount health memberships work
For a low monthly fee, discount health membership programs provide individuals and their families with meaningful discounts on health-related services and products with no age or health history required. Depending on the program and the service, members can receive discounts of up to 60 percent. Members simply choose a provider from the program's health network, present their membership card at the time of service and receive the discount immediately.
Unlike traditional health insurance, discount health membership programs offer members:
- Acceptance regardless of health conditions
- Can start using benefits immediately
- Unlimited services with no annual maximums
- No paperwork to complete
- For the unemployed and working Americans with no medical coverage, discount health membership programs offer an affordable alternative that provides access to essential medical care and perhaps even more important, peace of mind.
National Center for Health Statistics. "Health, United States, 2007: with Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans," 2007; Center for American Progress, The Case for Health Reform, February 2009.
National Center for Health Statistics. "Health, United States, 2007: with Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans," 2007; Center for American Progress, The Case for Health Reform, February 2009.
Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, 42 U.S.C. 1395dd, www.emtala.com.
