I am currently without health insurance. I have some pain and issues I want to get checked out. I have not been to the doctors in years and have been living a rather unhealthy lifestyle. I eat horribly and I smoke. I wanted to start working out and quit smoking and also get all my other health problems figured out and then get health insurance. There are a few reasons for why I want to go to the doctors and get healthy first and not get health insurance first and then get healthy. People tell me it is stupid to pay without health insurance get healthy and then when I dont need it buy health insurance. My logic though makes me think that this is short term savings but over the long run will cost me more.
The first reason is that my rates will be high. I am unhealthy and smoke and feel a lot of pain in my back, shoulder, arms, wrists, and hands. I am not the best candidate for great insurance. My health credit score is a 500 or lower. Though thats not real I just want to get the point across that health wise right now I am a liability. I dont blame them for giving me higher rates why should they pay to take care of me if I dont? So I wanted to get healthy get checked out pay it in cash and then shop for better rates. I am not sure if thats smart that just my common sense and has no professional backing to legitimize my claim. So I need someone professional to tell me if that is smart or stupid. I figure the cash cost now will pay off over the savings I get from health insurance after.
Another reason is I am not sure if health insurance increases like car insurance with every claim you make. I dont want to get health insurance then go see the doctor 10 times and of course save money through the insurance paying but then get screwed when my insurance increases and I pay more every month even after I am healthy. I am just assuming this is like getting car insurance and then getting into accident after accident. The insurance covers the cost of the car but now my rate goes up.
Now the one thing that worries me with my option that makes the other option better is this. What if I pay in cash and wait to get insurance. I go get checked out by the doctor and they find something is very wrong and it will cost me a lot to pay by myself. I forgot to say I am a broke college student. I can afford a few thousand to save in the long run but more than that I am gonna wish I bough the insurance first. If I dont have the insurance and they find something big will this screw my chances of getting a good rate or even insured because its a preexisting condition? Will that null my reasoning for doing this all in the first place?
I am sorry there is a lot of information here but this is what I have been thinking and being someone not familiar in the field it makes it difficult to know that if what I am saying makes sense or is just nonsense. Thank you for taking the time to help me.
The first reason is that my rates will be high. I am unhealthy and smoke and feel a lot of pain in my back, shoulder, arms, wrists, and hands. I am not the best candidate for great insurance. My health credit score is a 500 or lower. Though thats not real I just want to get the point across that health wise right now I am a liability. I dont blame them for giving me higher rates why should they pay to take care of me if I dont? So I wanted to get healthy get checked out pay it in cash and then shop for better rates. I am not sure if thats smart that just my common sense and has no professional backing to legitimize my claim. So I need someone professional to tell me if that is smart or stupid. I figure the cash cost now will pay off over the savings I get from health insurance after.
Another reason is I am not sure if health insurance increases like car insurance with every claim you make. I dont want to get health insurance then go see the doctor 10 times and of course save money through the insurance paying but then get screwed when my insurance increases and I pay more every month even after I am healthy. I am just assuming this is like getting car insurance and then getting into accident after accident. The insurance covers the cost of the car but now my rate goes up.
Now the one thing that worries me with my option that makes the other option better is this. What if I pay in cash and wait to get insurance. I go get checked out by the doctor and they find something is very wrong and it will cost me a lot to pay by myself. I forgot to say I am a broke college student. I can afford a few thousand to save in the long run but more than that I am gonna wish I bough the insurance first. If I dont have the insurance and they find something big will this screw my chances of getting a good rate or even insured because its a preexisting condition? Will that null my reasoning for doing this all in the first place?
I am sorry there is a lot of information here but this is what I have been thinking and being someone not familiar in the field it makes it difficult to know that if what I am saying makes sense or is just nonsense. Thank you for taking the time to help me.
