Health Insurance

For this month’s blog, I wanted to discuss health insurance. No, not the health insurance for which you pay a monthly premium to help with your medical costs, but rather the health insurance that everyone pays into throughout their lifetime. Another way of saying it would be your general health and your plans for the future. How long do you want to live? What quality of life do you desire? Do you want to live fast, die young and leave a good looking corpse or be the 90 year old who still competes in triathalons. Is your goal to just not worry, enjoy your vices and take what life gives you? Or perhaps it lies within the myriad of scenarios that lie in between the above stated ranges. Regardless, my plan here is to make you sit down and think what your life-health goals are and how much insurance you want or need to attain/reach your desired health status and last through your lifetime.Think, “discount double-check,” but with your personal health.

Whether you fully appreciate it, you have made decisions throughout your lifetime that have decided your current health status. It is prudent to mention, this discussion is about the variable factors. Aspects, such as, illness, trauma, genetics certainly play a role in your health status, but essentially cannot be varied-- -they are more likened to, “bad luck.” While decisions such as whether to go for an evening jog instead of watching TV or ordering the grilled chicken wrap instead of the chicken wings are variable and which you have control. I liken each decision as a payment or perhaps a deduction from your health insurance policy. Each day you work out, eat right get a good night’s sleep you are paying into the bank. The bonus is you get the benefits today as well as in the future a 2 for 1 bang. In contrast, every day you choose to be sedentary and eat poorly, you not only affect yourself in the moment, but also deduct from your future account.

There is no mystery that healthy living and fitness are that magic bullet-- -search the web and there are an infinite amount or articles and studies showing/preaching the benefits. Unfortunately, exercise takes work and dedication (not easy) making it less appealing and convenient than taking a pill which has limited the popularity lifting weights or running. A few years back, had the opportunity to discuss this topic with a health club owner, he indicated that 17% of the US adults exercise consistently, which I found shocking; however, it was the next statement that really got my attention. Studies show that healthy/fit individuals have a longer life expectancy which most people would agree with (a no-brainer). However, the shocking factor that is often missed is the quality of life one experiences in their last few years-- -or rather the golden years of life. Those with subpar health tend to migrate to assisted living earlier, not able to fully care for themselves, often for several years. While the fit tend live independently until their demise. Life is about choices-- -so today ask yourself the question, have I paid enough into my health insurance?