Problems With Health Insurance Companies

According to ABC News, many individuals are dissatisfied with health insurance companies. While there are complaints about health insurance companies, those who are insured benefit from the coverage and health benefits they have. Nevertheless, issues with health insurance companies have led individuals to take extreme measures such as put off medical treatment or purchase drugs from a foreign country.

Less Accessible to Those Who Need it

• According to Neuroscience, many people who do not have health insurance have jobs, but the employers do not offer health insurance as a benefit. These individuals do not earn enough money to purchase private health insurance, but make too much money to qualify for government assistance.

  On the other hand, many of those who can afford traditional, private health insurance policies do not qualify because of a preexisting condition that the health insurance company may consider high risk. Such high-risk conditions may include depression, endometriosis, AIDS, chronic pain and so on.

High Premium Costs

• The Commonwealth Fund states that the rate of health care spending outpaces the rate of economic growth. For example, those who do not qualify for traditional insurance with a private health insurance company or government assistance, but need medical care for an ongoing condition, may need to apply for health insurance through the state medical pool. Often, however, health insurance plans through a state medical insurance pool charge expensive premiums for plans with high deductibles.

  Additionally, The Commonwealth Fund states the high premiums health insurance companies charge can leave many individuals in the U.S. underinsured. The lack of access to health insurance and the high premium rates have led families to seek medical care only in times of urgent need or an emergency. When health care premiums are too expensive for individuals or families to afford, a treatable illness may progress to a dangerous state that is expensive to treat because of the lack of early intervention or preventative care.

Diminished Quality of Care

• Because of the high cost of medical equipment and the need to comply with health insurance company standards, the quality of health care has noticeably diminished in some U.S. medical facilities, according to Neurosurgical. A health insurance company may cover some procedures or treatments, but not others, in their health insurance plans. Consequently, this may cause some doctors and/or hospitals to not provide a patient with a specific treatment because the health insurance company's policy does not cover it and the patient cannot afford to pay for the treatment out of pocket.