The worst part about the super high costs of healthcare in the US is that it limits access to many people who need help. Even with insurance, you could face high deductibles, copayments, and out-of-pocket expenses that can deter you from seeking healthcare. And that’s not to mention the cost of prescription drugs, specialist visits, hospitalizations, and so on.  

Since the cost of healthcare is not in your control you should focus your energy on the things that you do have influence over. You should make sure you have the right health insurance plan and understand what it covers. If you have a high deductible plan, you should take full advantage of a Health Savings Account (HSA). You should maintain an emergency fund that has 3-6 months worth of expenses. And, perhaps most importantly, you should do everything in your power to maintain your health!

We used life expectancy in the y-axis of the graph in the post, but that’s just one measure when evaluating the success of a healthcare system. It doesn’t always tell you the whole story. For example, despite having a shorter life expectancy than peers, the US is strong in areas like medical research, technological advancements, and specialized care, etc. 

P.S. Next week we are having a free webinar on how to invest! It’s on Tuesday, June 27th at 5pm pst / 8pm est. We’ll do a live q&a afterward and you can ask us about how HSAs work! Link in bio to sign up!

As always, reminding you to build wealth by following the two PFC rules: 1.) Live below your means and 2.) Invest early and often.

-Vivi & Shane

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