Let's face facts --- medical treatment is expensive! Not only are medical costs high, inflation is also rising. There is already huge financial pressure on citizens and a trip to the hospital is only going to make their financial problems worse. To save us from extra financial burden we should have health insurance. And just like car insurance, health insurance should be made mandatory by the government.

So let's examine the reasons why people must have health insurance.

The Benefits:

Financial security:

The most important reason for mandatory health insurance is to reduce the pinch in one's pocket should you or a loved one need to be hospitalised. When a person has health insurance, she doesn't have to worry about having enough cash for her treatment. The insurance policy will reimburse her and thus save her from financial turmoil. The cashless facility also gives an added benefit of not needing to gather funds during a medical emergency. The patient and doctors can concentrate on the treatment and not worry about money.

Good Healthcare:

Everyday new breakthroughs and advancements are made in science. The latest equipment makes medical procedures more reliable and safer. Investing in new technology costs the hospital money and it can increase rates. If one has health insurance, you would be protected from these rising costs and can afford the necessary treatment. Therefore, health insurance gives you access to the best healthcare available at any given time.

But before the government makes such a rule, there are many hurdles to cross. Let's take a look at some of them.

Existing Problems:

Poor infrastructure:

For people in villages, the first and biggest burden in a medical emergency is reaching good hospitals in time. If there aren't even roads to take you to a hospital, no amount of health insurance can save you.

Unaffordable Premiums:

With shrinking wages and rising inflation most people cannot afford to buy health insurance. Not just that, once you have made a claim or are diagnosed with some illness your premiums increase. The increasing cost of premiums is only going to add to your financial woes.

Insurance coverage:

With exclusions and restrictions to what illnesses are covered in your health plan, one needs to be extremely careful about what insurance they are getting. You may have health insurance, but it may not cover you for any pre-existing illness and treatments that you may require.

Conclusion:

If the government makes health insurance mandatory, it should be made affordable for everyone. The government should also provide schemes for people who cannot afford insurance. To share the costs in such an enterprise, employers could be given incentives to insure their employees. Insurance companies and hospitals should work together on cutting costs and providing universal healthcare. There should be minimum basic coverage, regardless of any pre-existing conditions so that every citizen is covered. If every person is insured, regardless of their financial condition, they will be given the proper medical treatment they deserve. Health insurance will protect a person from additional financial burden. Health insurance should be mandatory so that the common man can avail medical treatment at good facilities.