No regrets when insurance is needed

Dr. Paul Michael, Henderson

Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013 | 2:02 a.m.

Some have argued that health care is a freedom and we should be able to refuse to purchase health insurance under the new ACA regulations.

Of course we are free as individuals not to purchase a plan, but you simply pay a penalty not to participate.

I believe this is actually about not paying for something electively now that someone thinks may come relatively free in the future as an emergency. That leaves all of us with the emergency hospital bills for the uninsured (voluntary or otherwise).

Emergency care remains five times more expensive for an uninsured patient as one who is insured receiving outpatient preventive health care. And only 2 percent of Americans can currently pay for their true hospitalization bills completely out-of-pocket. This is not about outpatient minor care, blood tests, flu shots or yearly doctor visits.

Truly, we are talking about catastrophic or severe emergencies that are never foreseen, and we’re confident we can prevent. I have way too many 30- and 40-year-old people in my practice who ate right, lived healthy lives and have no business getting cancer, but they do. We try to make them well again. Are they regretful they purchased insurance?