When you invest ahead of time in real preventative care, you’re investing in your own longevity as well as your bank account. Hospital visits are extremely expensive in the United States and unfortunately fairly common. However, thanks to the emphasis placed on preventative care by general physicians everywhere, the percentage of people that need to suddenly go to the emergency room for long-term issues that could have been prevented, is going down.
However, this is still a problem that needs to be addressed, as many people with and without insurance still view the emergency room as their only way to access health care. They forget all about the benefits offered by urgent cares, or even just more regular visits to the GP. When people go to the hospital and can't afford their bill, the hospitals and the ER cannot refuse their care. Thus, that cost is spread evenly among all paying customers over time. This is part of the reason the healthcare industry’s services regularly increase in price at such an alarming rate.