Recent United States Census Bureau figures show that approximately 85% of Americans have health insurance and that roughly 60% have employment related health insurance or as individuals and that various government agencies provide health insurance to 25% of Americans.

Because medical technology and treatment are advancing at a daily rate the costs associated with health insurance are also rapidly increasing. People in developed countries are living longer which means the population of those countries is aging and a larger group of senior citizens requires more medical care than a younger healthier population. (A similar rise in costs is evident in Social Security in the United States.) These factors cause an increase in the price of health insurance.

There are however other factors that are resulting in an increase of health insurance prices and these are health related for example, obesity and insufficient exercise, unhealthy food, a shortage of doctors in impoverished or rural areas; excessive alcohol use, smoking and drug abuse plus the sedentary lifestyle of many.

In theory, people could lower health insurance prices by doing the opposite of the above; that is, by exercising, eating healthy food, avoiding addictive substances, etc. Healthier lifestyles protect the body from disease, and with fewer diseases, the health insurance companies would therefore pay fewer medical bills.

Before buying health insurance, a person typically fills out a comprehensive medical history form that asks whether the person smokes, how much the person weighs, and has the person ever been treated for any of a long list of diseases. Applicants can get discounts if they don't smoke and live a healthy lifestyle, which might encourage some people to quit smoking or make other improvements in their lifestyle. The medical history is also used to screen out persons with pre-existing medical conditions. This article has been written by http://www.health-insurer.info For more information on health insurance, visit our web site http://www.health-insurer.info This article is not a substitute for professional advice. Please feel free to use this article in your newsletter or on your web site, the resource box must be included. If you use this article, please send a brief message to let me know where it appeared: mailto:health-insurer@t4star.com Thank you.