Are you lost in the maze of confusion information about health insurance and health insurance plans? The experts at HealthCompare put together some slide to help you through the health insurance clutter and make finding the right affordable health insurance easy. HealthCompare.com provides Affordable Health Insurance Quotes and makes it easy to buy Individual Health Insurance, Family Health Insurance and other Health Insurance Plans. http://www.healthcompare.com

1. Understanding Health Insurance
Prepared by REV Media Marketing LLC
March 2010

2. Why You Need Health Insurance
Someone in the U.S. files bankruptcy after a serious health issue every 30 seconds.
Uninsured men and women are more likely to suffer death or more severe diseases
that could be prevented by regular check-ups.
Uninsured people are much less likely to receive preventive care, they have a 50
percent higher adjusted risk of death due to limited prevention care.
Health care reimbursements are negotiated between insurance carriers and the
service providers which reduces your costs.
Source: According to the National Coalition on Health Care,
The American College of Physicians

3. Uninsured Facts and Risks
44 million people are uninsured
The biggest group of the uninsured are between the ages of 19 and 29.
• ‘Young invincibles’ who believe that their youth somehow protect them. The
reality of life is that youth does not protect us from illness or injury, and without
health insurance a young person can suddenly fins himself with mounting medical
costs
•16 million uninsured woman are more likely to suffer serious health problems
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health
and a report by MSNBC.com

4. May Suffer Financial Disasters
Uninsured adults are more likely to die earlier than those who have insurance due to
lack of preventative medical care.
The financial strain can be just as devastating.
•50 percent of all bankruptcy filings were partially due to medical expenses.
•25 percent were unable to make their rent or mortgage payments and
developed bad credit ratings due to medical debt.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health
and a report by MSNBC.com, study by Harvard University

5. Health Care Costs Can Be a Tax Advantage
Health plans provided by an employer are a deductible expense for the employer and
are provided to employees as a form of non-taxable compensation. An employee with
a 30% marginal tax rate who receives a health plan valued at $5,000 is actually
receiving a benefit that would equate to $7,142 in wages or salary.
Health insurance premium expenses may be tax deductible for self-employed
individuals.*
Health expenses may be treated as an itemized deduction if they exceed 7.5% of
one’s adjustable gross income.
*Check with your tax advisor to determine your status if you are self employed.

6. Being Uninsured Actually Costs You Money!
Doctors, hospitals and other providers may charge uninsured people higher rates than
insured people.*
You will receive your insurers discount regardless of what percent of costs you are paying
out of pocket.
Many doctors are hesitant to see uninsured patients because uninsured patients cannot
guarantee payment. As a result, being uninsured may increase costs and reduce access to
care.
*This is because insurers negotiate prices or levels of reimbursement with doctors and
hospitals and can often lower the cost to less than half of what an individual might pay
outside of an insurance plan with cash.

7. Your Kids are Counting on You
Children require routine check-ups as well as immunizations.
Physicians can diagnose serious childhood problems that appear to be simple health
concerns such as juvenile diabetes.
Parents also need to protect themselves for the benefit of their children. Having a sick
parent is emotionally traumatic and the financial consequences of an illness can add to the
emotional costs.
Child only policies are available at sites such as www.healthcompare.com

8. Health Insurance Gives You Financial Peace
of Mind
Someone in the United States files for bankruptcy due to medical costs every 30 seconds.
An uninsured person could lose his or her house to foreclosure, rack up hundreds of
thousands of dollars in bad debt, place a heavy burden on the shoulders of the rest of the
family and be faced with bankruptcy.
Source: Washington Post, 2005

9. Big Advantages of Preventive Care
Early detection of serious diseases increases your chances for effective treatment and a
cure.
Preventive care can reduce treatment severity and lessen recovery time.
It is less expensive to treat a disease at the onset than to treat it in advanced stages.
Many more health plans today incorporate preventive care benefits into their coverage.

10. Health Insurance Helps You Gain Access to
Services
Individuals can receive medical attention when necessary
Can provide coverage for preventative measures.
If you're hospitalized, most insurers will pay for at least some of your follow-up treatment
so you can remain healthy and avoid another costly hospitalization.
Health plans provide lower cost preventative services.
•Childhood immunizations are approximately $150 per shot, but many plans will pay
the entire amount.
Provides “disease management” services to help individuals control diabetes and other
chronic conditions.

11. Sponsored by
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