We all know the numbers. We've heard them before, in newscasts, magazines, studies: More than 40 million Americans have no health insurance, 8 million of those children. And more than 30 million are underinsured, carrying coverage that barely meets their needs.
Those with health insurance tend to take it for granted. Have a scratchy throat? See your doctor. Cut yourself too deep while chopping vegetables? Visit the emergency room. Find a lump? Have it checked out, just in case.
Like auto and life insurance, health insur-ance is a safety net that gives us peace of mind. We may not use it often, but when we need it, it's there.
So why do so many Americans lack this safety net? According to an exclusive study by the Agent's Sales Journal, 67 percent of agents surveyed said the biggest obstacle they face in selling health insurance is that their clients can't afford it. (The full results of our study start on page 14.)
It's an obstacle, but not just for agents. Those who can't afford health insurance also can't afford out-of-pocket costs for preventive doctor's visits that may catch problems while they can still be fixed. They can't afford emergency room visits when their chests suddenly feel tight. They can't afford specialists, and they can't afford medication that can heal them and prolong their life.
But sometimes, "I can't afford it" means "I can't justify the cost." In Massachusetts -- a state where about 550,000 are without health insurance -- the state legislature has given residents that justification. Recently, they approved a bill that requires all residents to carry health insurance. They've also committed to offering a variety of subsidized policies with premiums ranging from nothing to $250 per month.
So there's one way around it: choices. You can't force your clients to buy something they can't pay for, but you can show them the most affordable option for their situation. It won't always be the one that fetches the most commission, but it will cover your client and make the sale. And agents know this: According to our study, 60 percent of agents said the number one thing insurers can do to help them sell health insurance is to offer more affordable products.
So what if you're bound by the expensive or inadequate products in your portfolio? Then show your client how they can't afford to go without health insurance. With many insurance products, it can help the sale if agents have used those products themselves. It gives them a layer of knowledge and experience that can make clients more comfortable with the product, therefore more likely to buy.
But with health insurance, maybe one of the best ways to explain the need for it is to have gone without it for a period of time. I'm not suggesting a mass revolution in which agents give up health insurance to boost their sales. But if you have ever gone without health insurance and gotten ill, it can form a bond with your client and help them understand why they need it -- because they can't afford otherwise.
Even if you've never gone without coverage, you've likely been sick or injured in the past. Make that your justification; show them how essential health care is and how expensive the alternative can be.
For example, I recently suffered a pretty embarrassing injury. One Saturday morning, I woke up and my left hand wouldn't move. It was numb, so I assumed it was asleep and waited. After seven hours, I went to the emergency room, where they told me I had "radial nerve palsy".
After two follow-up visits to my primary-care physician, two visits to a neurologist, and a month of physical therapy, my hand is back to its old self.
Without health insurance, my treatment would have cost thousands of dollars. I probably wouldn't have made it as far as the emergency room. Thankfully, I did: My neurologist told me that had I come to him six or seven months down the road, the damage would likely have been permanent. Which means I would have lost the use of my left hand forever.
Nobody wants to be sick, and nobody wants to go to the doctor. Even with health insurance, medical expenses can be overwhelming. But why make them worse by living without a safety net? Americans must have more affordable options with health care, and they must understand the true cost of going without.
Christina Pellett, Managing Editor
ASJeditor@agentmediacorp.com
