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The Importance of Health Insurance in an Emergency

Billy Amon

Posted Feb. 27, 2008
Tagged: Health, HealthInsurance, PersonalStories

Two weeks ago my fiancé landed wrong while jumping over a little stone wall outside of our apartment building. We always jump the wall because it’s a shortcut; this time, however, the shortcut ended up sending us to the emergency room (ER).

My fiancé hopped into the apartment and said she needed to go to the ER. I pulled up her insurance plan online and made sure the hospital near us was a participating provider. Tip: I recommend determining the hospital nearest you that is an in-network provider beforehand, so you can just rush out the door in an emergency. If you go to a hospital that is out-of-network, you’ll end up paying a lot more.

We pulled into the hospital parking lot and were shocked to discover we had to take a ticket to pay for parking on the way out. It was absolutely ridiculous that we had to stop and grab a ticket for parking before reaching the ER. Don’t our taxes cover this or are our hospitals strapped for cash?

My fiancé was unable to put any pressure on her foot so I helped her inside and had her sit down. I gave her health insurance card to the front desk receptionist and filled out the necessary paperwork. Surprisingly, we were in and out in just an hour.

We saw an ER doctor who did an x-ray on her ankle and an ER technician who sized her for a boot for her foot and crutches. Our responsibility of the bill? $200. I later checked her explanation of benefits to see how much we would have paid without health insurance. $800!

My fiancé and I focus on prevention by following healthy diets, exercising regularly, and avoiding alcohol and other drugs; however, accidents still happen. After seeing my best friend in a coma for 12 days with brain injuries after a random accident, it became clear to me that health insurance is extremely important for those unpredictable emergencies. Granted, a torn ligament isn’t nearly as serious as a coma, but we would have forked over an additional $600 if my fiancé was uninsured.

If you don’t currently have insurance, I recommend using eHealthInsurance to do a quick search of health insurance plans available to you. If you’re strapped for cash, you can sort the results by premium price and view your options.

Has health insurance helped you in an emergency situation? Please feel free to comment and share your story.

I have personally seen the high costs and inner workings of the health care system. My best friend was in a coma for 12 days and had brain surgery. My mom battled leukemia for 10 months and passed away in February of 2007. I know firsthand that our health care system is in dire need of change and am personally dedicated to working to bring about that change.

I am the Online Community Manager for Trusera. Previously, I was the content manager for the Qvisory Health blog. I live with my wife, dog, and two cats in Seattle, WA. See Billy Amon's other posts and profile.

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