Why pay for health care?

Money is a sensitive subject for most. I can't blame anyone for wanting
to save money or cringing when they have to spend money on health care.
I will never forget when I worked at Wal-Mart while in school and
seeing people get very angry when they thought they were charged one or
two dollars more then they should have.

I think there is something that makes us think we should not have to
spend money on our own health care or it should be very cheap. Where
does this belief come from? I don't know. It would be great if it were
true. However, it is not free or even cheap in this country. I wish it
were.

When the average person pays $1000 to fix their car, they normally don't
like it, but go ahead and do it because they need it to be fixed. After
spending that money, they see the value in it and go on. Ironically,
when a client spends just a fraction of this sum of money on health
care, such as coming to counseling (Which most of my clients don't spend
any ways near $1000.) or going to a doctor, they don't want to do it,
complain, avoid it, try to get out of paying and so on.

What is wrong with this picture of people not seeing health care, such
as counseling, as valuable as something like getting their car fixed?
The car will last a few more years at best. When a person spends money
on their own health, such as counseling, that will often last many years
and often change their life for the long term. It is very possible that
counseling will also benefit family, friends, and others.

Ask yourself if your mental health is worth a few hundred dollars...I
know your car is likely worth many times more to you.