I had a job for about two months that did not have an option for health insurance. It kind of sucked. What if I got sick? What if I was injured? There were many “what ifs” that could have cost me a lot of money in those two months. After a few weeks of being uninsured, I had to do something. If you do not have health insurance, you are just asking for trouble. Get a plan. Even a bad plan is better than no plan.
As much as I hate insurance companies, they are important for you. If you get cancer or break a bone or come down with appendicitis, you will probably need expensive operations or procedures. Insurance lowers the price dramatically.
Depending on where you live, you have different options. I ended up with Kaiser Permanente as I had been insured there in the past. If you need insurance, find out what the big companies are in your part of the country and apply. It is usually that easy. I had to fill out a form listing prior conditions, medical background, and a lot of details about my history. After about a week, I was accepted. On the first of the next month, I was insured.
Here is a list of big insurance companies. They might not be in your neck of the woods, but there are companies. In great places like Canada and the UK, you do not need insurance. Here you do. Sad huh?
In No Particular Order:
Kaiser Permanente (West Coast/Colorado)
United Healthcare
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Aetna
American Family Insurance
Aflac
WellPoint
Humana
For a more comprehensive list, click here
If you are single, you are only screwing yourself over by being uninsured. If you have a family, you have a responsibility to other people to keep yourself and them healthy. I know it is expensive, but it can save you so much money in the long run. It is worth it. If you already have health insurance, you are doing the right thing. If not: Get Insurance.
