What is the primary purpose of health insurance?

The primary purpose of health insurance is to provide financial protection against medical expenses. Health insurance is designed to help individuals and families manage the costs associated with healthcare, including hospital visits, surgeries, preventive care, and prescription medications. By paying a premium, policyholders transfer the financial risk of high medical costs to the insurance company, which then covers a significant portion of these expenses when necessary.

This financial protection is critical because medical bills can be overwhelming and potentially lead to bankruptcy for individuals without insurance. In addition, health insurance facilitates access to necessary healthcare services that might otherwise be financially burdensome, ensuring that individuals receive the care they need without facing insurmountable out-of-pocket costs.

Other options suggest scenarios that do not align with the fundamental principles of health insurance. For instance, covering all healthcare costs without limits is impractical and unsustainable; most insurance policies have coverage limits and exclusions. Providing free healthcare service is not the typical role of health insurance, as it generally involves a cost structure that includes premiums, co-pays, or deductibles. Finally, while managing healthcare provider payments is a function of health insurance, it is not its primary purpose; rather, it is a mechanism that supports the broader goal of financial protection against medical expenses.