Why All Women Need Health Insurance
Making the decision to get health insurance is often put on the back burner until a situation arises in which it’s needed. However, taking a proactive approach to getting health insurance will help ensure that the coverage is there if a health issue arises so that it can get addressed as soon as possible.
For women, it’s especially important to have adequate health insurance coverage. Here are some compelling reasons why.
Aging Out of Parental Coverage
As a student, many young women have coverage through their parents’ health plan. However, that ends with turning 26. Therefore, 26 year old health insurance needs change to ensure that there’s no gap in coverage, especially if pre-existing medical conditions exist. In many cases, you only have until the end of the month of your 26th birthday to ensure coverage.
Despite being an adult, a woman’s body is still changing during her 20s. Hormones begin to regulate after the intense fluctuations of the teenage years, and sexual health becomes more relevant. Having continuous coverage in place during this time is essential.
Well Woman Visits
Well woman visits are essential not only for advanced screening of silent killers like cervical cancer, but also to provide a platform for discussion about health concerns and questions with a qualified physician. Ideally, these visits take place annually, which comes at a cost. This is another reason why women should have adequate medical coverage.
It is estimated that one in eight women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime, and over 10,000 women in the USA develop cervical cancer each year. The examinations conducted during a well woman visit can help catch signs of these issues early on, increasing the chances of success in treatment should a test come back unfavorably.
Maternity Care
It’s expensive to have a child, and women start experiencing this cost well before their baby is born. It costs tens of thousands of dollars to have a baby in the USA, not including the potential for an emergency c-section or any special postnatal care. Everything from ultrasounds to hospital stays has a price tag attached.
Women who plan on eventually having children should have medical coverage in place for when the time arrives. Women who do not want children will require contraceptives, which can also be costly. In short, whether or not a woman plans on having children, she should have coverage in place to support that decision.
Higher Costs
Generally speaking, female healthcare costs more than male health care. Annual wellness checks are recommended at an earlier age than male health screening procedures. Females often bear the onus of contraceptives as well as the focus on reproductive health from an early age.
There has been a lot of controversy about women paying more for health care coverage because of these additional expenses. However, women need to assess the cost of not having coverage should a serious health issue arise. While the fact that some healthcare insurance providers charge significantly more for women is a debate that’s worth continuing, but in the meantime, you need to be covered.
Role as Caregivers
It’s no secret that girls run the world. Women are more often assigned the role of a caregiver, whether it be for children, aging parents, etc. There’s an adage that states, “you can’t pour from an empty cup,” which indicates the importance of self-care.
Being a caregiver is often exhausting and draining, wreaking havoc on your mental health and immunity. Having adequate coverage will help women take both a proactive and reactive approach to health and wellness.
Women work hard and have unique, powerful bodies that are capable of creating and sustaining life. Having health insurance keeps that body functioning as it should so that women can do all of the incredible things of which they’re capable.
