09/16/2011 
How many different gyms would you have to call before finding one that accepted your health insurance card?
Since fitness memberships aren’t covered by any insurance company, you’d be on the phone for an awfully long time!
Think about why we join gyms in the first place – to improve our health by losing weight, increasing strength and flexibility, and improving our physique. Shouldn’t companies like Humana, Blue Cross, UHC, and Cigna be thrilled to pay for results like these?
One would think so… But, alas, they do not, and that’s why we can’t depend on them to pay for all the services we need.
As it turns out, people are actually quite comfortable paying anywhere from $20 to $200 per month on their gym memberships. This serves as proof that when insurance doesn’t cover something health-related that we want/need, we have no problem paying for it out of pocket.
Some people, however, are deterred from services like chiropractic care or acupuncture if it’s not included in their policy. They become almost apoplectic at the thought of paying their own bill, regardless of how inexpensive it may be.
Here’s an example of what I’m talking about… Someone once called to ask if I accepted their HMO. A fair question, right? Well this person lived over two hours away, and was willing to drive 240 miles round-trip to receive care “as long as it was covered.”
Apparently, visiting a local chiropractor and paying $40 out of pocket was unthinkable. Instead, taking 4+ hours out of their day, using $25 in gas, and spending $15 for their co-pay made more sense (no joke).
Not everyone is as “committed” to their insurance policy, but you get the idea… The point is this – it’s okay to loosen the purse strings and pay for something on your own.
