The Importance of Health Insurance for Older Adults

Health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is a state of full physical, emotional and social well being and not just the absence of sickness and disease. A variety of different definitions have been applied over the years for the purpose of describing the condition. For instance, being mentally healthy is a state in which people can handle day to day tasks with minimal difficulty. Emotionally healthy people are able to live satisfying and productive lives. In addition, health refers to the ability to cope effectively with stress, pain or disability.

A good health policy provides for preventive care, medical services in the event of an acute illness or injury and basic hospitalization for severe illnesses such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes and hypertension. The policy may also cover dental care, eye care, home health care, assistance with ordinary living tasks such as dressing, eating, moving to disabled facilities or nursing care, and Medicare Part B. Most states define poor health as having an absence of one or more of the major life-enhancing conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, asthma, obesity, stroke, and osteoporosis.

There are three major parties involved when it comes to defining health: the individual who have a health status, the insurance company offering the insurance coverage, and the public who receive, through either public programs or private services, the medical care needed. An illness or disease that affects the individual can take any form. The most common ones are age, physical disability, age and gender. Other categories include chronic illness, hereditary conditions, depression, drug abuse, obesity, childbirth complications, pregnancy, depression, heart disease, liver disease, physical abuse, occupational hazards, school accidents, history of a previous serious physical injury, and other conditions that have a lasting effect on a person’s ability to carry out the daily functions of life.