Those with no medical insurance coverage fear the thought of having to go to the emergency room as they know just how expensive it can be, however if there is a medical crisis with one of your children or someone is involved in an accident then you have no choice. With no coverage at all, hospital bills and expenses soon build up and you could find yourself in a difficult financial situation with no means of paying the bills.

If you're looking for affordable health insurance then catastrophic coverage might be the perfect option if you simply don't have the income to pay high premiums each month, as it offers low monthly payments and protection in an emergency whilst leaving the responsibility of covering small or routine medical expenses to you when they're needed. Most plans cover in the event of an emergency and generally include ambulance rides, hospital stays, outpatient and inpatient surgeries, and emergency room visits.

Catastrophic health plans trade lower regular payments with higher than normal deductibles, this means that you have to pay the agreed amount for any treatment until it reaches the amount agreed between you and the insurer, at which point they take over the rest of the costs.

Before making any final decision on the type of health plan to get you should always do lots of research beforehand, if in the event anything does happen and you should need help you don't want to find out after that you're not covered sufficiently as then it's too late. Always read the details and be clear on what's needed for the family to be fully protected, and be certain how much it's costing you.

Catastrophic insurance coverage is particularly suitable if you are young, independent and healthy and don't often have to see the doctor about poor health, your monthly payments will be lower than normal although you'll have to pay a higher deductible out of your own pocket for routine medical checks. If you need family coverage then this type of plan might not be the best as it could work out a lot more expensive if you're paying for a number of people to visit the doctor and fill presriptions as well as yourself.

Generally the older you get the more frequently you have to go to the doctor's surgery to see about your aches and pains. The elderly and anyone suffering from a persistent medical condition are liable to find catastrophic health coverage to be more expensive than a standard insurance would be due to the fact they have to visit the surgery much more often, specialists may also be involved and prescriptions filled repeatedly which all costs money, and as a policy of this kind involves a high deductible you might find yourself paying a lot more out than you can afford.

Catastrophic insurance plans can be suitable for those with a chronic illness however if they learn to manage their condition by taking care of their health and keeping visits to the doctor to a minimum. If you're interested in changing your health plan then calculate your monthly medical expenses and get an estimate of costs so you can come to an informed decision about whether this sort of arrangement will work for you.

A catastrophic health insurance plan can work for people of all ages as it can cover for any supplementary health expenditure that you might incur due to an unexpected incident. These can also include nursing and psychiatric care which is convenient for the older generation, and even younger individuals as long as they have sufficient funds to afford the monthly payment and the deductible in the event of an emergency.