ACCOUNTABILITY

o those WHO CHOOSE to go without health insurance. You will suffer irrecoverable financial loss. It is surprising to learn that many people take the just wait and see attitude, or my family is healthy so there is no need to have health insurance. I recently spoke with a woman who has 5 children. She bodly stated that because her kids get accident coverage through their school there is no need to have health insurance. She and her husband are homeowners AND business owners. They have NO health insurance.

You work hard for your pay. You depend on your car for everything. So, you have car insurance. You may have never been in an accident or had it stolen but you have it protected. You have homeowners insurance. Your home may have never experienced a burn or flood but you have it protected. Why do you have these particular insurances? Answer- to protect your assets in case of loss.

The same conceptual planning applies to your health protection. Protect yourself before it happens. Preparation is key. No one wakes up and says, "today I want to be diagnosed with breast/prostate cancer" or "today I want to get in a serious accident and stay in the critical care unit"!! Everyday there is a new cancer diagnosis. Every day there is a serious accident.

Ask yourself these questions: Where am I going to get the money to pay: utility bills, grocery bills, out of pocket medical costs, fuel for the car, child care expenses, clothing, pet food, rent/mortgage, blood work, prescriptions, and all other unforeseen expenses? Do I/we have 6 months of savings? What will I/we do when our savings runs out? Chances are if you have no savings then people you know don't have any either and they are just getting by.

It is so easy not to give light to the unthinkable. But the reality of life is these situations are real and can happen. Remember, you are the other people in the saying, "it wont happen to me this happens to other people".

Denial and procrastination are 2 negative ways of thinking. You must be pro-active in taking steps to protect your health. Medically related expenses can quickly chew up any savings. Then what? Place a hardship bucket in the local corner store for donations? Hold a community outreach fundraiser? You are putting YOUR burden on everyone else. That is moraly irresponsible.

You are doing an injustice to yourself and family by going without. By failing to prepare you are prepaing to fail. With resources readily available, there is no logical reason for choosing to go without medical insurance.

Do the smart thing,

Trisha M. Pacenti RN,BSN