The Private Health Care Insurance Debate

For a majority of people, health care is one of thosefor the premiums of yourself and your family, and you
sensitive subjects. No matter what solution to healthare not guaranteed acceptance into the policy. If you
care is presented, there is undoubtedly going to behave medical conditions that the insurance company
someone that disagrees. And given the current politicaldeems risky, you will have a difficult time getting the
climate, the debate over health care is at the forefrontcoverage that you need.
of everyone's minds. Until this debate comes to somePreexisting conditions are also a notorious problem for
form of resolution, for most of us there will continue toprivate health care insurance. If you are accepted into
be only two types of coverage: group insurance anda policy with a preexisting condition, you will often have
private health insurance.to wait a lengthy period of time before coverage will
Of these two options, the more appealing is typicallybegin. You have to first prove to the company that
the group insurance option. Most people would ratheryou will not be a major cost liability to them.
not have to front the entire cost of the insurance, asPrivate health insurance is not all negative however.
well as worry about the myriad of other factorsFirst of all, it is health insurance coverage, and some
involved with private insurance. If your employer iscoverage is often better than no coverage. For millions
going to offer health insurance as a benefit package, inof people, private health insurance is literally a life
most cases you will be best off taking the offer.saver.
Group insurance offered by your employer will oftenAnd while private health insurance is generally
cover at least a portion of your premium costs. Certainconsidered more expensive than group insurance
packages may even be designed to provide coveragepolicies, there are circumstances when the private
for the employee's family. For the company, providingoption is cheaper. Small businesses can frequently get
this benefit can be a strong recruiting incentive andthemselves into trouble with group policies. If they have
allow for retention of important employees.a string of bad luck with a couple of expensive claims,
Aside from the benefit of premium assistance, thetheir average claim per person increases. This later
major advantage to group insurance is that thetranslates into much higher premiums for the entire
employee is guaranteed coverage by the company'sgroup.
plan. There is no sort of discrimination by the companyThe bottom line is that health insurance is still a big
based on the insurability of the participant. You cannotconcern for a majority of people. What works for one
be turned down for preexisting conditions.person, doesn't work for another. Either way, it is a
On the other hand, private health insurance does notnecessary evil, whether we like it or not.
share these same characteristics. You are responsible