You’re young, healthy and haven’t had more than a cold for the past several years. You really don’t need health insurance, right? Wrong.

It’s tempting to think that you’ll be able to stay healthy by avoiding obvious risks (like that ill-advised mountain biking incident). And if you do get sick, you can always make a trip to your school’s health center. While that plan might work for a while, it could really hurt you in the long run. Without health insurance, you are at risk. Consider this:

• If you do need health care, you may be charged more. According to a recent study, uninsured patients on average were billed 2.5 times more than what the insured were billed through their health plans.¹ This is because health plans can negotiate large discounts with providers. The uninsured have no such leverage.
  
• You may not be able to get coverage in the future. If you are uninsured when you develop a major health issue — such as disease or a major car accident — you likely won’t qualify for coverage for that condition later. Also, getting coverage after you’re already ill means you could pay more for the coverage itself or even be turned down for coverage.
  
• You could compromise your health now. Studies show that more than half of the uninsured have gone without needed health care — even preventive care like your annual checkup — because of cost. This could create health problems in the future that could have been avoided with proper care.
  
• You will eventually be dropped from your parents’ coverage. Most young students continue to be covered as dependents on their parent’s health plan, but this coverage will eventually end — you’ll become too old to be a dependent or you’ll get married. Thinking about protection before you find yourself without it is crucial.

As a board of the Southern Baptist Convention, GuideStone Financial Resources partners with seminary students, ministers and denominational employees to make affordable life and health coverage available now and throughout your ministry career. 

For more information about GuideStone health plans, help in choosing the right plan or a free online quote, visit our Web site.

GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention welcomes the opportunity to share this general information. However, this article is not intended to be relied upon as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.