Staying Healthy is Money in the Bank

Most people get their healthcare insurance from their jobs. Large companies offer health insurance to employees at a reasonable price, and it’s deducted from their paychecks without a second thought. However, if a person loses his job or becomes ill and can’t work anymore, he loses his healthcare insurance. Sure, companies offer COBRA (they have to by law), but the payments are much higher than before.

Most people don’t know this, but in 2005, the Fortune 500 companies as a group paid more in healthcare costs than they made in profits. The costs for healthcare are rising 15+ percent per year. Few companies can sustain growth to keep up with this increasing expense, and as a result, companies will push more of their healthcare expense towards their employees.

Many Americans do very little to stay healthy. It’s currently estimated that 97 million Americans are overweight or obese which creates numerous healthcare issues (diabetes, hearth disease, cancer, etc.). It is also estimated that preventable illnesses make up approximately 80% of the burden of illness and 90% of all healthcare costs. Many of these preventable illnesses occur because of a lack of exercise, poor diet and bad habits like smoking or excessive drinking. You should take action now by taking a preventive approach to your health. It can save you a lot of money in the long run. In addition, you’ll have a healthier life and even live longer.

Most healthcare professionals believe that in the long run, more companies will give their employees a stipend to purchase their own health insurance. Healthy people will save a lot of money by having lower premiums, as they can take the risk of having higher deductibles. So begin now! The earlier you start to take care of yourself by exercising, dieting, and modifying your behavior towards health, the more money you’ll save in the long run.