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In a healthcare system that relies on ' fee for service', it is critical that families have access to affordable health insurance. Even a simple doctor's visit can easily become a huge financial burden considering the rising costs of these services. Part of this cost is to cover for the portion that insurance companies '''write off'' while reimbursing doctors and clinics. There is therefore, an incentive, for the doctors to inflate the fees. People with limited means who do not have affordable group health insurance are the ones who get most affected in such a system.

Group medical insurance costs are based on probabilities. An insurance company realizes that a certain portion of each population will become ill or require medical services in a given month. Their goal is to collect enough fees to cover these costs, their running costs, and to post a profit. In return for your contribution to this pool, your health costs will be partially covered when you require medical services.

Insurance coverage varies with each company. Sometimes a certain percentage of your medical costs are covered. Other times insurance companies require a co-pay, which is a certain amount you have to pay at each office visit. A deductible, an amount you have to spend out of your own money, also may be required before insurance coverage begins.

You can easily avail of affordable group health insurance if your employer (or that of your spouse) provides this facility to its workers. Sometimes a tie up between a health insurance company (including group health insurance firms based in Texas) and a place of work can result in discounted medical cover for its workers. In exchange, the employer may pay part of the monthly health insurance costs, leaving the worker to pay the rest, thus providing affordable group health insurance. Contact your human resources manager to inquire whether such discounted medical cover is available at your place of work.

Your children (dependents) can also be covered under this health insurance. Most policies have an open enrollment period in which the employee can add their spouse and children for a slightly higher fee. When a child is born to you or your spouse, you will also have the chance to immediately add him or her to your insurance policy in most places.

If you are self employed, or your employer does not offer affordable group health insurance, medical insurance can be obtained by seeking out a group to join. By searching "individual medical insurance" or "open group health insurance" on the internet, one can find a variety of options for joining a group.

One can save a great deal of money by obtaining group medical insurance, whether through a place of employment or on an individual basis. By only paying co-pays, deductibles, or a percentage of expensive medical fees, an insured person will most likely pay less money for healthcare than an uninsured.