You are here

Health Insurance

You probably do not plan on you or someone in your family getting sick or hurt, but it happens and it costs.  Health insurance can protect you from potentially large expenses.  In fact, two thirds of personal bankruptcies are due to medical costs.

Aside from the cost, people without health insurance are less likely to seek and receive preventive care, recommended screenings, and help in managing chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.  When they do seek help it is usually after they have been sick for awhile – when it is harder to regain health and more costly.

As a result of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, a Marketplace for purchasing health insurance has been established.  The Marketplace may be able to reduce the cost of insurance for you and your family.  If you are not insured you may have to pay a fee if you do not get insurance.

Close to a half million Mississippians remain uninsured.  Most do not know that the law might give them financial help to assist with the cost.  Health insurance does not guarantee good health, but it certainly sets the stage for maintaining and improving health.  It can also reduce the stress of financial pressures that can arise if illness or accidents strike.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Publications

Publication Number: P3782
Publication Number: P3784
Publication Number: IS1781

News

Milk is poured from a jug into a glass.
Filed Under: Food and Health, Food, Nutrition and Wellness June 23, 2025

Do you love milk but have problems digesting it? These tips may help you increase your tolerance for dairy.

A woman stands in a park.
Filed Under: Family, Food and Health, Nutrition and Wellness June 20, 2025

Summer is a wonderful time to explore, play outside, and create memories, but take some steps to make your adventures safe.

Jars of home canned pickled vegetables
Filed Under: Food, Food Safety, Health May 20, 2025

Are you planning to can fruits and vegetables this year? Don’t just wing it. Planning and preparation are important first steps.

Success Stories

A smiling person walking on a treadmill.
Volume 11 Number 2

When it comes to losing weight, people need proven, reliable solutions. For Henry “Eddie” Robbins of Simpson County, Walk-a-Weigh offers that answer.

A man wearing a suit stands beside a desk with a banner listing “Welcome to the Tunica Health & Wellness Hub.”
Volume 10 Number 1

You don’t have to have diabetes to benefit from the principles of the Dining with Diabetes (DWD) program.

Three women standing in front of a MyPlate banner.
Volume 10 Number 1

Dining with Diabetes covers healthy eating, physical activity, disease monitoring, medication compliance, and risk reduction, and the course empowers participants by giving them access to nutrition knowledge and resources for food preparation. Classes include research-based education, cooking demonstrations, and healthy recipe tasting. These tools can help people make positive changes by planning menus, counting carbohydrates, controlling portions, and reading labels.

Select Your County Office

Your Extension Experts

Portrait of Ms. Qula Madkin
Extension Instructor