Sometimes It's Worth Paying Extra
Do you dream of driving a Hyundai? When you were a teen, was a Pinto your dream car? Of course not. Most of us realize we get a lot safer car by paying for one with airbags, or even better a Volvo. And when we have kids, we start to realize that the investment is worth it.
Why is it that so few people I know think that way about health care?
Tara Parker-Pope addressed this issue head on in an article she wrote in the Wall Street Journal last year. You should read it .
Ms. Parker-Pope highlights what most people don't consider. What is it worth to stay alive, to diagnose if you are at especially high risk of a heart attack or cancer?
Look at last year's expenses. Some of these tests don't seem so costly, even if you had to pay out of pocket.
In "Before It Happens To You" I make the case that an echocardiogram, a test to look at the heart with ultrasound, should be a standard test at 50, perhaps even more than a colonoscopy. Diagnosing an abnormal heart can lead to treatment that can save your life.
The next time you wonder whether it is worth paying to get optimal care, look at your car keys. What do you drive?
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