Let me start by saying this is not an article filled with facts and statistics; I believe we've all seen enough of those depressing numbers. This is more of a “food for thought” kind of piece.

Though feeling good and being healthy sounds closely related, for too many Americans there is a vast difference. It's an historical fact that sales of alcohol, tobacco and cosmetics jump during slow economic times.

Why? Simple: because we want to “feel good.” Somehow, the idea of treating ourselves makes us feel a little better, a little less depressed about losing our job, our home, our 401(k), everything for which we've worked our entire lives. My son just took his wife and four daughters to Disney World. On their first day at the park he called me and asked, “Where are all those people that have been hit by the slowing economy? They're certainly not here at Disney World; the park is jammed packed.” My response was a reflection of these ideas. When we hit hard times it doesn't necessarily mean we don't or won't spend money; it's a matter of where—and on what—we spend. We still spend money on our pets and those items we “hope” will relieve a bit of our stress. Having said that, why anyone would think a trip to Disney World would actually relieve stress is beyond me.

Some of you out there relieve your stress by jogging, working out at the gym or preparing a nice, healthy meal. Wouldn't it be great if everyone relieved their stress this way? If only we could grab hold of the idea that getting healthy actually does make you feel good.

In the health insurance industry, most of us (though not all) have been preaching this concept for the last 10 years through what we call consumer directed health care. Having been involved with CDHC for the past 20 years I've sometimes jokingly referred to CDHC as Consumer Doesn't Have a Clue. It's not really funny, but with a vast proportion of the population, this has proven to be the case.

One of the areas a slowing economy hits hardest is health care. Before you send me your hate mail, I will say I'm fully aware there are many Americans out there who simply can't afford their co-pays, co-insurance and health insurance, let alone the luxuries and feel-good items I've listed above. The dwindling economy has affected most of us in one way or another. For some it's simply a matter of where we spend the dollars in our ever-shrinking budget. Wouldn't it be fantastic if, when we got to the limit on our credit card or a zero balance in our checking account, we could just call up the bank and tell them we needed more money or credit?

Unfortunately for those of us in the real world, it doesn't work that way. The new health care reform bill certainly hasn't helped in the way of providing better education to consumers about their health and their health care. It hasn't done anything to encourage better lifestyle choices or put to rest our fears that we will be able to afford good health insurance for ourselves and our families.

While we're capable of making the decision to go to Cracker Barrel for dinner rather than the fancy steak-and-lobster restaurant, and to buy the economy-size bottle of wine at Wal-Mart rather than the good stuff at the liquor store, we have a hard time putting aside our dollars for the co-pay for the monthly medication needed for whatever chronic condition we may have. The irony here is that the chronic disease or illness was likely brought on by an unhealthy lifestyle. You know, the one that makes us “feel good.” Have we simply bought in to the instant gratification theory? Jogging or making a healthy meal requires a great deal of planning and effort. Is it simply easier to grab that bottle of wine that we know will make us happy, at least for a little while? My attorney used to tell me this was a conundrum, wrapped up in a quandary.

If you're an insurance agent, the bad economy has probably hit you, too. Are you still selling the old traditional plans with low deductibles and high premiums that do nothing to increase awareness or encourage healthy lifestyle choices? Are you selling those under the guise that your client and their workforce won't understand these plans or be able to utilize them to their advantage? Or, are you making up for revenue lost due to client acquisition or workforce reduction? While it's understandable, is it the best option for your client or their employees? Is it the right thing to do?

I'm not judging, I'm just saying…

Instant Insights /

Feeling good vs. being healthy

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