I don't have health insurance, but I wish I did- just "in case". I used to. While growing up, I had military medical insurance because my Dad was in the Army and since I was in College, his insurance followed me up to the age of 23. By then I had a job at Fedex, so I was covered under their insurance plan for medical, dental and vision. Now that I am self-employed, I have no insurance.
Exercise is the best medicine!
I don't freak out because even when I was insured, the only time I visited the doctor was twice a year for a dental check up and cleaning and once a year to make sure everything else was working properly. I take extra special care of my teeth and body now that I'm without insurance.

I was never one to run to the doctor for anything anyway, I'd rather take care of myself as much as possible. Home remedies have always been easier, cheaper and more trustworthy methods of healing than anything else as far as I'm concerned. Too often we are a society that runs to the doctor for a pill or surgery rather than taking matters into our own hands.

Take for example insomnia. You can't sleep, so you head to the doctor hoping for a magic pill or answer to your problem. The doctor may or may not ask you much about your current lifestyle to shed some light on why you can't sleep, but either way will undoubtedly prescribe Ambien or some other potion to drug you up. Did your doctor suggest you stop drinking, smoking, start exercising, meditate, learn how to better cope with stress, etc? Probably not.

Our healthcare system neglects prevention and acts like an assembly line in terms of caring for patients. Gastric Bypass surgery for weight loss is another issue that doesn't treat the root of the problem. Most people after these surgeries never adopt the discipline or know-how to maintain a healthy body weight for the rest of their lives. These quick fix surgeries ignore the psychological issues that obese folks face and instead delivery instant gratification which is most times a temporary success that carries with it many health risks. Has good old fashioned hard work and discipline become so obsolete that we're willing to risk our lives just to be thin?

In a perfect world, more emphasis should be placed on preventive care such as exercise, a healthy diet as well as education and less emphasis put on prescription drugs and laziness. Doctors should practice what they preach and be the epitome of good health. They should not smoke, drink, do drugs, overeat and under-exercise. But there are those out there who do, sometimes more than their own patients they are lecturing.

In this perfect world, educated personal trainers and nutritionists will be more in demand and insurance companies will reimburse patients who need their services. Doctors will have more personal, caring relationships with their patients to ensure their issues get resolved and not just covered up temporarily. Preventive care that teaches a person how to nourish their body and maintain a healthy weight would save millions each year. Americans pour billions into fat loss pills and fitness gadgets with very little to show for it. Obesity rates continue to climb higher and higher with very little hope in sight. When will we wake up?