| This article gives some important facts and figures on | | | | to get its act together our loved ones may need |
| healthcare and discusses one possible solution to the | | | | urgent medical attention today! |
| healthcare crisis in America. It explains a simple yet | | | | So, what do we do? |
| overlooked avenue that might be the answer | | | | Wisdom dictates that each individual find a solution |
| thousands of American families are looking for right | | | | that works for them and their family so that no one |
| now. | | | | will be at the mercy of a mal-functioning healthcare |
| Affordable healthcare is in a state of crisis here in | | | | system when an emergency arises. |
| America. | | | | Affordable Healthcare's one bright light on the horizon |
| Why is it that in a country as affluent as the USA | | | | may be Medical Discount Plans or Medical Savings |
| citizens are struggling to afford such a basic | | | | Plans, which have become quite popular in recent |
| necessity as proper healthcare for themselves and | | | | years. |
| their families? | | | | Medical Discount Plans or Medical Savings Plans are |
| Almost 50 million people including close to 9 million | | | | programs that allow the average person the ability to |
| children have no health insurance coverage while 75 | | | | reduce their medical expenses by providing discounts |
| million are underinsured. | | | | on a wide range of services, from doctor's visits and |
| Why? | | | | dental exams to hospital stays and prescription drugs. |
| The obvious and superficial answer is that the cost | | | | The pros of Medical Discount Plans are that they |
| of healthcare is too high for the average person to | | | | typically require no qualifying physical exams, no |
| afford but this still begs the question as to why this | | | | contracts and you don't even have to be a citizen to |
| is the case here in the US? | | | | participate. |
| When CEO's of Health Insurance companies average | | | | They usually feature easy online applications, |
| over $8 million dollars annually and CEO's of | | | | affordable prices regardless of age or health with the |
| Pharmaceutical companies make over $4 million dollars | | | | ability to cancel at anytime and some even offer |
| per year in compensation, why must the average | | | | free 30 day trial memberships to test drive the |
| working family be forced to pay over $1,800 every | | | | program before committing to it. |
| year in premiums in addition to over $1,700 in | | | | The only con that Medical Savings Plans have is that |
| out-of-pocket expenses for a total of about $3,500 | | | | they are NOT MAJOR MEDICAL INSURANCE and as |
| annually in health insurance expenses? | | | | such, DO NOT PAY your medical bills for you! |
| Affordable healthcare is fast becoming an oxymoron | | | | This simple fact cannot be overstated because |
| as healthcare premiums are currently rising 3 times | | | | misunderstanding it has already led to several lawsuits |
| faster than the cost of inflation with projections of | | | | with misinformed consumers crying foul at some |
| the cost of personal healthcare spending set to | | | | companies offering these programs. |
| double over the next 8 years in this country. | | | | How Medical Discount Plans work is that the |
| This is unacceptable, but what do we do about it? | | | | company offering them will contract with the same |
| If it's just a case of money being the issue then | | | | large PPO Networks used by top insurance |
| something I learnt years ago may be worth | | | | companies, which allows the Medical Savings Plan |
| repeating here and that is, "no money ever leaves | | | | member access to the same low rates enjoyed by |
| this planet". | | | | the insurance companies, in exchange for a |
| A strange statement to make, I know, but think | | | | reasonably priced monthly membership fee. |
| about it. | | | | When the member uses a medical service, for |
| All the money that was here a year ago is still here in | | | | instance, a Doctor's Visit which typically costs about |
| circulation, it's just been re-distributed into the | | | | $75.00, the member pays his medical bill up front at |
| pockets of those with inside knowledge who know | | | | the Doctor's Office then the company immediately |
| how to apply that knowledge to attract wealth. | | | | reimburses the member for their Doctor's Bill thus |
| So, the key to affordable healthcare may be as | | | | reducing the member's out-of-pocket medical costs. |
| simple as finding out what you don't know and | | | | Such a program can reduce your medical expenses |
| learning how to apply your new knowledge | | | | significantly especially after a prolonged hospital stay |
| effectively. | | | | as some plans may reimburse members up to $1,000 |
| I believe as individuals, we have to start taking | | | | per day for each day spent in the hospital up to 30 |
| responsibility for our own situation and not continue | | | | days per year including separate reimbursement for |
| depending on the government to take care of our | | | | the Anesthesiologist, etc. |
| healthcare needs. | | | | Not bad at all. |
| While it's true that elected officials do have a | | | | Affordable healthcare doesn't have to be a myth or |
| mandate to act on our behalf in providing certain | | | | become an oxymoron if individuals take responsibility |
| basic necessities of which proper healthcare should | | | | and begin to manage their own healthcare expenses. |
| be one, we've still got to realize that this is a flawed | | | | Toward this end, using a Medical Discount Plan might |
| society and while we're waiting for the Government | | | | be exactly what the Doctor ordered. |