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...my topic was the importance of having access to some form of health insurance – whether you’re in the United States or elsewhere. Part of this book delves into insurance, and I am experiencing firsthand the importance of having catastrophic health insurance. I’m also a huge proponent of Health Savings Account (HSA) plans.

(Location 145 in Kindle version of the book)

Do you feel the same as the author about health insurance? Have you had benefits because you had an insurance or had difficulties because you did not have an insurance? Has the author been honest or is she trying to market the insurance companies (she has dedicated three chapters of her book to talk about health insurance.)?

I agree with the author. I've firsthand witness the life of my relative been saved because of health insurance as he could not afford the treatment.
Yes, the paperwork and details can be a lot to deal with but if the benefits can save a life, I feel it's a trouble worth going through.

Jasleen Chadha wrote: ↑01 Jun 2021, 05:33 I agree with the author. I've firsthand witness the life of my relative been saved because of health insurance as he could not afford the treatment.
Yes, the paperwork and details can be a lot to deal with but if the benefits can save a life, I feel it's a trouble worth going through.

I see your point. But do the insurances cover all the medical expenses that a person needs at a time? I have seen several scandals that they play hiding behind their policy agreement. Can we actually trust them to save our lives when all the lawyers and doctors are on their side when it comes to any discrepancy?

I’m with the author on this. In Nigeria, good health insurance can be the difference between getting quality healthcare when you need it and being left to fend for yourself in the middle of an emergency. This is not to say the system is perfect, but most times it's better to have it.

I think the book explores health insurance options that could guide clients or patients. Likewise, seeing the business side of the industry gives a different perspective. The information from these various angles is helpful in weighing the pros and cons of what they are offering.

Yeah, the author was honest about health insurance. I've personally benefited from health insurance. My medical bills were beyond my financial reach, and health insurance steeped in to offset the bills.

I think it really depends on the country we are talking about. In the book context, I think that having a health insurance service is very important, or even essential since the medical costs are exorbitant if you don't have insurance, in some places you have to pay even for an ambulance. Therefore, I don't think the author trying to market the insurance companies at all, it's something that could save someone's life.

Sushan wrote: ↑01 Jun 2021, 06:13

Jasleen Chadha wrote: ↑01 Jun 2021, 05:33 I agree with the author. I've firsthand witness the life of my relative been saved because of health insurance as he could not afford the treatment.
Yes, the paperwork and details can be a lot to deal with but if the benefits can save a life, I feel it's a trouble worth going through.

I see your point. But do the insurances cover all the medical expenses that a person needs at a time? I have seen several scandals that they play hiding behind their policy agreement. Can we actually trust them to save our lives when all the lawyers and doctors are on their side when it comes to any discrepancy?

I understand where you are coming from and yes, there are some downsides to the policies but I still think that at a difficult time like this, a little help can go a long way even if there are some errors to their ways.
But in case of some small injuries, I thoroughly agree with you that they take away more money than they can help us with. Well, that is something to think about because I believe there are always two sides to the story and what you make of it.

Three whole chapters devoted to health insurance information seems a little steep. Usually for me, trying to understand intricately detailed things such as insurance would require it be explained in person.

As a cancer survivor, I can honestly say I benefitted from having insurance. By the time I became cancer-free, the total bill was enormous. My insurance did not cover all expenses because of co-pays but it did make it manageable.

I would say the author is honest regarding the insurance system. Many people have been benefitted though, there are cases in which people come across scams in many places.

Sushan wrote: ↑31 May 2021, 23:51

...my topic was the importance of having access to some form of health insurance – whether you’re in the United States or elsewhere. Part of this book delves into insurance, and I am experiencing firsthand the importance of having catastrophic health insurance. I’m also a huge proponent of Health Savings Account (HSA) plans.

(Location 145 in Kindle version of the book)

Do you feel the same as the author about health insurance? Have you had benefits because you had an insurance or had difficulties because you did not have an insurance? Has the author been honest or is she trying to market the insurance companies (she has dedicated three chapters of her book to talk about health insurance.)?

I believe the author's sentiments are worth being considered and that it's really true for people to invest in health insurance. That would really come in handy especially when people fall ill and cannot afford to pay for their medication.

In South Africa, we have free healthcare, as well as the option to use health insurance or medical aid. That being said, I cannot stress enough the importance of having medical aid, as that gives you access to a better quality of healthcare.

Various healthcare insurance groups have been constantly known to be unfair and even dishonest in their practices; sometimes even prejudicing clients because of race, for example. So in my view, having health insurance is a necessary evil, therefore, one has to be well-informed when choosing a healthcare provider. Long story short, I think the author is not only honest, but extremely helpful in equipping us with her knowledge.

Sushan wrote: ↑31 May 2021, 23:51

...my topic was the importance of having access to some form of health insurance – whether you’re in the United States or elsewhere. Part of this book delves into insurance, and I am experiencing firsthand the importance of having catastrophic health insurance. I’m also a huge proponent of Health Savings Account (HSA) plans.

(Location 145 in Kindle version of the book)

Do you feel the same as the author about health insurance? Have you had benefits because you had an insurance or had difficulties because you did not have an insurance? Has the author been honest or is she trying to market the insurance companies (she has dedicated three chapters of her book to talk about health insurance.)?

I think that health insurance (in a capitalist society) is both a scam and extremely important/useful. The companies rake in tons of money that some people wind up never even needing to cash out on. They refuse to pay for many things which are so important for people just because they can get away with it. They make the system incredibly complex for practitioners and patients alike, so much that people need to specifically train and continually retrain in order to handle interactions with them for healthcare providers, making the system even more expensive. However, most people could not afford what healthcare they do get without insurance. Insurance makes it so people can pay a few hundred dollars a year but afford a surgery that costs tens of thousands of dollars, and the care team still gets paid. That means the hospital can continue to care for other people. I feel basically the same, though slightly better, about FSA's. You never know how much you actually need to put in. If you don't use enough to reach the carryover limit, you lose money for peace of mind just like with insurance. HSA's on the other hand don't have a rollover limit, I'm pretty sure, so they're better in that regard. That does make me feel better about them, but their availability is so limited and there can be maintenance fees if the account holder's situation changes. In conclusion, capitalist healthcare just sucks.

Jasleen Chadha wrote: ↑01 Jun 2021, 05:33 I agree with the author. I've firsthand witness the life of my relative been saved because of health insurance as he could not afford the treatment.
Yes, the paperwork and details can be a lot to deal with but if the benefits can save a life, I feel it's a trouble worth going through.

The bureaucracy is really a stressful aspect of insurances, but as you said, I also think it is worth it since, as the author states, having or not having insurance has a huge impact on your health costs, especially if you have chronic diseases, for example.