| The U.S. Census Bureau reports that an increasing | | | | results in bankruptcy and the creditors only get a |
| number of people are now unable to afford | | | | few cents in the dollar. So, hospitals make a |
| medical insurance. Some 47 million people do not | | | | rational decision. They spread all the unpaid bills |
| have medical insurance. When they begin to fall | | | | among all those who can pay. In other words, |
| sick, there is nothing that can be done if money is | | | | whether you are paying out of your own pocket |
| short. When it comes to a choice between food | | | | or you are relying on your own health insurance |
| on the table and treatment, most people decide | | | | to pay for your treatment, a percentage of |
| to eat. They hope they will get better. When | | | | every hospital’s bill is a provision against bad |
| health does not improve, there is no improvement | | | | debts from the uninsured. The irony is that |
| in the choice to be made. If treatment remains | | | | everyone who is insured is also insuring all the |
| unaffordable, they have to wait until their sickness | | | | uninsured for their emergency room visits. If you |
| worsens to the point it can be considered an | | | | have been wondering why your own health |
| emergency. At this point, people decide to go to | | | | insurance premiums have been going up so |
| the emergency room at their local hospital. Federal | | | | sharply of late, it’s because there is a wave |
| law is very clear. Hospitals are under a positive | | | | of uninsured people going to the emergency |
| legal obligation to treat everyone who walks in | | | | rooms around the country. The health insurers |
| through the door. It does not matter whether the | | | | are having to pay more and this additional cost |
| emergency is real, in the sense of a traffic | | | | gets passed on in the premiums. Is it going to get |
| accident inflicting unexpected injury, or to some | | | | any better? No. It’s actually going to get |
| extent manufactured, where the condition only | | | | worse. Ever more people are finding health |
| becomes an emergency because of a deliberate | | | | insurance unaffordable. Even with sites like this |
| delay. People must be given treatment. The | | | | which allow people to find the cheapest insurance |
| difficulty is that most of the uninsured cannot | | | | around, many still find the premiums too much. |
| afford to pay their bills. The hospitals can and do | | | | That does not mean you should give up. Using this |
| issue invoices for the treatment given and drugs | | | | site will get you offers. Then it’s up to you to |
| supplied. This is also a part of the law. People have | | | | negotiate directly with the insurer or its agents to |
| a responsibility to pay for their treatment. But | | | | get the best actual premium for the cover. |
| hospitals are realistic about their chances of | | | | It’s not worth the risk of being uninsured. If |
| collecting. Continued pursuit for payment usually | | | | at all possible, get some cover. |