As a consumer of health care services, it is time to get smarter on what makes up insurance premiums and how you can reduce them. A knowledgeable broker recently told me that 15-20% of our premiums go to cover those who go to emergency rooms either as uninsured patients or just trying to not incur charges on their insurance. We are talking about illegal aliens who go to the emergency rooms for "colds" or other ailments because they are uninsured. Think about this. If your monthly insurance premium is $700, up to $140 goes to the insurance company and the state to cover costs of those who shouldn't be here. This is an outrage.
I have heard recent stories where emergency room doctors are treating people with and without insurance for colds and various ailments because they don't want to see or can't afford to see a regular doctor. Some patients are even taking ambulances as it represents a "free way" to get to the ER. We are paying for this in much higher premiums.
Another area that causes premiums to continue to increase is maternity coverage. My broker told me that premiums run $350-400 per month to cover maternity alone. Make sure that you review your coverage with a knowledgeable broker, especially if you aren't having anymore children. This could save you nearly $5,000 per year.
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