Health Insurance: Purpose, Coverage, and Insurance Status in the United States
Overview
This paper examines the essential role of health insurance in providing access to preventive and emergency care while protecting individuals from financial hardship. It discusses the primary purposes of health insurance, including coverage of medical expenses and preventive services mandated by the Affordable Care Act, and analyzes the insurance status of the U.S. population, noting that 8.5% lacked coverage in 2018.
What this essay covers
- Introduction to health insurance and its importance in accessing healthcare affordably
- Purpose of Health Insurance: coverage types, preventive care, ACA requirements, and quality improvements
- Insurance Status in the United States: demographics and uninsured population trends from 2017-2018
Preview
Health Insurance
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Health Insurance
Health insurance is essential because it allows people to access preventive and emergency care, allowing them to afford it without spending much from their savings or income. When people lack health insurance, they will have limited access to specialized care and usually spend more on healthcare. There are several specific purposes of health insurance. Throughout the United States, many people have enrolled for insurance premium in order to cushion themselves from unexpected medical cases. The insurance status of the people affects care utilization, disease treatment, self-supported health, and mortality rates.
Purpose of Health Insurance
The primary purpose of health insurance is covering the medical expenses or those closely related to him or her and are included in the insurance cover. Health insurance also includes preventive care, such as getting medical examinations or tests before an individual gets sick. In the United States, the Affordable Care Act made covering certain types of healthcare services a requirement for all insurance plans. In this regard, health insurance guarantees that every individual receives primary healthcare such as ambulatory services, emergency services, hospitalization for surgery and other overnight stays, maternity and newborn care, mental health cover, prescription drugs, pediatric services, and preventive, laboratory, and wellness services (Lalley, 2020).
In the event of health outbreaks and other catastrophic health events, the insurance covers the unexpected costs and ensures that the person is cushioned from the impending financial implications. Health insurance is also an enhancement of the quality of care and practitioners.