Daily, the media remind us of the millions of Californians who have no medical insurance. The Federal and State of California invest billions of tax dollars to pay for free medical insurance (e.g., Medi-Cal, Healthy Families) yet, millions of people refuse to enroll. A recent article by the National Institute for Health Care Management: The Uninsured: A study of Health Plan Initiatives and Lessons Learned, estimated that over 14 million people with out health insurance are low-income people who are eligible for medical insurance - but not enrolled. What a bizarre finding. Why would someone who is eligible for free California medical insurance not enroll? Free California health insurance is even available for undocumented immigrants with "restricted Medi-Cal" (California's Medicaid Program.) Indeed many studies, including the one mentioned above, have found that one-third of those without medical insurance in California and in the United States earn more than $54,000 per year. These people can clearly afford medical insurance, but choose not to. Our personal experience at BenefitsCafe.com is equally as mind boggling. Literally, speak with hundreds of people each month trying to help them enroll in a California medical insurance plan. Of the hundreds of people we speak with, only about 10 percent apply for medical coverage. Why so few? There are VERY INEXPENSIVE California health insurance plans available. Many of the people we speak with have no health insurance. Possible reasons people don't enroll in health insurance might include:
Clearly any California medical insurance policy is better than no health insurance coverage in California. If it's free and people don't enroll - there must be some deeply hidden psychological reason. I can't figure it out. It is bizarre that health insurance agents, such as the experienced California health insurance licensed staff at BenefitsCafe.com, even have a job. Think about it. The lack of health insurance is a national crisis. President Bush is proposing a variety of plans to help solve this problem. He is proposing to spend over $100 billion over the next ten years to get people health insurance. Yet, health insurance companies must pay agents to convince people to enroll in health insurance plans It is as if someone lived in the desert and there were no water, yet, the person who had all of the water was forced to advertise, market, remind, nudge and pester people to take the water that he is giving water away at little or no cost. Literally, people would rather die than enroll in California medical insurance plans. |
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California Health Insurance |
Group Health Insurance in California |
Health Savings Accounts | |
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