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If there’s one thing all Americans can agree on, it’s that healthcare is expensive. A good health insurance plan is necessary to stay healthy and get the care you need to recover from illnesses or injuries without facing significant financial burdens.
However, health insurance coverage is about more than just making care affordable. It’s also about ensuring people have quality healthcare that helps them stay in control of their well-being. From access to preventive care, including regular checkups and screenings, to chronic disease management and lifesaving emergency care, carrying a health plan means not putting off care for financial reasons or making tough choices that jeopardize your health.
Despite the advantages of health insurance, millions of Americans still don’t have coverage and face risks to their physical, mental, and financial well-being. Keep reading to learn more about the difference that high-quality healthcare services can make to your life and why a health plan is an investment in your well-being.
When it comes to medical care, the word “quality” gets thrown around a lot, but what does it actually mean? After all, everyone has their own definition of what constitutes good care, and what’s perfectly adequate for one person may be lacking for another.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality defines quality healthcare as safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable care. Healthcare providers and organizations use this framework to guide policies and initiatives that support exceptional patient care.
However, from a patient’s perspective, quality healthcare is less about hitting targets and avoiding waste and more about outcomes. The World Health Organization sees quality of care as the provider or facility’s ability to provide exemplary health services that support a patient’s desired health outcomes. Critical to these outcomes is access to care, and that’s where health insurance comes in. There’s undeniable evidence that health insurance coverage improves access to care, supporting better outcomes without significant financial strain.
Healthcare is more than just seeing the doctor when you feel sick or need treatment for an injury. Preventive care is critical to high-quality healthcare services, yet millions don’t seek these vital services.
Preventive care encompasses a variety of services, including:
An annual checkup allows your provider to check your blood pressure, cholesterol, and other health indicators and perform a physical exam to ensure you’re in the best possible health. These annual services also include getting a yearly flu shot to reduce the risk of catching the flu — and ensuring a milder case if you do catch the illness.
Getting recommended cancer screenings before you have symptoms supports the early detection and treatment associated with better outcomes. Women need Pap tests for cervical cancer and mammograms, men should have prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests to screen for prostate cancer, and men and women need colorectal cancer screenings.
Adults and children need vaccinations against preventable diseases to support their well-being and help protect others from the spread of disease. Children need immunizations for Hepatitis A and B, chicken pox, whooping cough (pertussis), polio, and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR.) Adults need boosters, as well as vaccinations against pneumonia and shingles.
Under federal law, health insurance plans must cover these preventive services for adults and children. That’s because this care is critical to early diagnosis of chronic conditions like diabetes in support of better outcomes.
For example, evidence shows that individuals who need surgery for common conditions are more likely to receive timely care and have fewer complications when they have quality preventative care, and insurance coverage supports faster cancer diagnosis and treatment.
More specific services that all health plans must cover at no charge (meaning that policyholders aren’t responsible for any out-of-pocket expenses) include:
Preventive, routine care is critical to your physical health and improves your financial well-being. Access to affordable, quality healthcare can improve your financial health by reducing out-of-pocket expenses and the likelihood of unpaid medical bills. For example, the average daily charge for a hospital stay is about $2,900, meaning that the typical four-day stay is close to $12,000 before even accounting for surgeries and other services. Some procedures have a price tag of $100,000 or more. Without adequate health care coverage, these expenses can bury the average family; in fact, Debt.org estimates that up to 65% of all bankruptcies stem from medical expenses.
Despite access to quality healthcare and preventive services improving with the Affordable Care Act and the clear evidence of its importance to well-being, most adults still don’t get the care they need. In a report published in the journal Health Affairs, researchers revealed that only about 8% of adults get all the recommended annual preventive care, while 5% of adults don’t receive any preventive care at all.
Reasons for skipping these visits vary. According to one survey, many people simply don’t think they need them because they feel healthy and don’t have any significant concerns. Other reasons for avoiding preventive care include a lack of time, a dislike of going to the doctor, and a fear of receiving bad news.
However, cost is, by far, the most common reason that people don’t make appointments for regular checkups and annual tests. In a poll from the American Academy of Family Physicians, women reported that concerns regarding out-of-pocket costs are a significant deterrent to getting routine tests and treatments. As a result, more than half missed vital tests in the last year.
Health insurance improves access to quality healthcare solutions. Not only does a policy cover the vital preventive services that can help keep you healthy or address issues before they worsen, but coverage:
The timeliness of healthcare is another critical measurement of quality, and a comprehensive insurance policy helps ensure you and your family get the services you need at the right time. Getting immediate care when you require it helps improve outcomes and reduce the risk of death, especially when it comes to chronic conditions like kidney disease.
Primary care, which includes routine checkups, preventive care, health education, and chronic disease management, from a single provider or practice group is critical to the timeliness of care — and the backbone of your insurance coverage. This type of care costs less than specialized care and helps prevent expensive hospitalizations and other treatments by supporting early detection and treatment.
What truly sets this type of care apart and increases the perception of quality is the personal relationship you develop with your provider. You have the chance to establish a long-term relationship with your doctor, giving them a better understanding of your medical history, unique needs, lifestyle, and more so they can tailor treatment approaches to you and support the best outcome.
If you’re among the millions of Americans searching for affordable health insurance for yourself and your family, Insurdinary can help you find the right coverage at the right price. Instead of skipping vital preventive and wellness appointments or facing financial catastrophe due to an unexpected medical bill, a budget-friendly policy from one of our partners can provide you with peace of mind and access to the top-notch healthcare facilities and exceptional patient care you deserve.
With Insurdinary, you can request and compare quotes from top insurance providers in your area. Customize your coverage to include the features you need while eliminating those you don’t. In addition to preventive care, policies can provide coverage for prescription drugs, hospitalization, dental, vision, specialists, rehabilitation, and more.
Get started today and request an online quote from Insurdinary for insurance that delivers quality healthcare. Once you find the options that work for you, one of our experienced insurance agents can help you enroll and secure the coverage you need to regain control of your well-being.
Do you have more questions? Contact our team today to find the health insurance coverage that suits your health needs and budget.