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“Health care is not a privilege. It is a right as fundamental as civil rights. It is a right as fundamental as giving every child a chance to get a public education.” –Rod Blagojevich

Having a good health is not a privilege, but a fundamental right for every individual. However, even if we did practice great sleeping habits, follow a strict diet regimen, avoid unhealthy foods and exercise daily, some ailments would still plague us—whether they may be hereditary or not. For this reason, the idea of safeguarding one’s health by having a contingency plan should anything awry happen was conceptualized. By then, health insurance plans and policies emerged and provided a great alternative to breaking the bank whenever individuals got sick. Health insurance plans are not exactly luxuries, but rather necessities, yet a surprising number of people who remain uncovered and uninsured would prove otherwise. Today, a huge number of Filipinos remain uninsured despite the wide variety of insurance policies in the Philippines. Our health is not a trifling matter; in fact, it is something we should take excellent care of—especially if we have families who depend on us.

Whether one should get a health insurance coverage plan or not has been the subject of many internal and external debates and discussions, but leaving one’s self in a precarious notion wherein you are uninsured in the event of a sudden disease should not be countenanced. Perhaps if individuals were not left woefully ignorant about what truly entails having a health insurance plan, they would be more receptive to getting themselves one. So, in order to dispel some misunderstanding about health insurance plans and shed some awareness to what people are missing out on, this article has enumerated ten of the biggest misconceptions about health insurance plans below.

1.) “I already have government health insurance. I do not need private health insurance.”

In the Philippines, it is customary for a fraction of a Filipino employee’s salary to go to Philhealth, the national health insurance program which was designed to provide universal medical coverage for Filipinos. Although having Philhealth works to your advantage, it would not necessarily cover you for any extraneous health issues and necessities.
Philhealth only covers a select number of packages and services and certainly has its limit. Medicines, dental care, various forms of rehabilitation services and other therapies would be excluded. Having a health insurance coverage separate from Philhealth would ensure that you do not have to pay out of your own pocket for these essential services.

2.) “I am healthy, I do not need health insurance.”

Some individuals do not see the need for a health insurance coverage as they have never experienced anything direr than the flu or an occasional cough and colds. But this false sense of immortality could be very precarious as when they do experience a crippling disease; they could potentially cause their financial ruin by paying for everything with what available monetary resources they have available. Do not squeeze your savings dry just because you have been afflicted with a disease, get insured instead.

3.) “Cashless is the answer.”

Potential health insurance buyers are under the false impression that a cashless cover would solve all their medical woes. However, before availing this, it is imperative that you need to check whether your chosen hospital is affiliated with your insurance provider and whether they have a cashless program. Should the hospital be a non-network hospital, no cashless program would work.

4.) “I cannot afford private health insurance.”

Whenever an individual contemplates about getting insured, the cost is always an associated concept. A lot of individuals are under the misguided notion that private health insurance is expensive and would hardly look at the options. The truth is that health insurances are relative to one’s age and health. You would only need to choose a supplementary one which would meet your lifestyle’s needs. There is no absolute need to pay exorbitantly for coverage you do not need.

5.) “Maternity program would not be covered.”

A common misconception of prospective health insurance buyers is that pregnancy would not be covered by health insurance plans. This might be the case a few years ago, but a lot of insurance companies have started to offer this as part of the benefits in their health insurance cover. All you would need to do is research for these enterprises.

6.) “The money used for insurance premiums can be better used elsewhere.”

A hackneyed adage once said that health is wealth. Similarly, individuals should not be so indifferent in regards to their health and start investing in programs to protect it. Remember, one serious illness or injury could be depleted your life’s savings, and a health insurance policy would make sure that does not happen.

7.) “I have a pre-existing disease.”

Prospective health insurance buyers would often worry about the pre-existing condition clause of a policy. But, almost every health insurance as of late would come with this clause and should this affliction be over, it would cover your pre-existing health condition or disease as stated in the policy. Additionally, insurance companies would expect prospective buyers to have a thorough medical examination and should you not have any pre-existing diseases; the clause would not be applicable.

8.) “Buying policy only is risky.”

Considering how everything and anything can be bought online, even insurance policies are offered through digital purchase. However, many potential buyers would think that this is risky but when you buy a policy online, nothing is hidden from you and the paperwork involved would be reduced. If you are skeptical, have a little background about the insurance company before proceeding with the transaction.

9.) “Only the earning member of the family would need insurance.”

Many individuals are under the impression that only earning members of the family would need insurance. This is because more often than not, they are economically reliant on them. However, diseases, injuries and other maladies and afflictions do not distinguish, and it could certainly happen to anyone whether they may be earning or not. It is imperative that every member of the family would have a health insurance coverage so that the family is better prepared for anything that may happen.

10.) “I would only need insurance when I am older.”

No one is ever too young to get a health insurance coverage. You might want to explore your options but do not wait too long. Remember, some insurance policies are more expensive the older you get and with the increasing cost of prescription drugs, health care, and other medical services, it is imperative that you get insured immediately.