This week was our annual open enrollment for group health insurance, which no one enjoys as there can be a lot of paper work.  Once again, we kept our insurance with Blue Cross as we only had a minor increase in premiums.  As the insurance agent gave his annual spiel on why we should all deposit more in our HSA accounts, he also explained how insurance is simply a finance tool for healthcare. In other words, healthcare expenses are what they are.  Insurance is simply one way to pay for healthcare expenses.  Other options, of course, include paying for all of our healthcare expenses out of pocket.  As I read various blogs, listen to media reports on TV, and read newspapers, it is clear that too many people see insurance as something other than a finance tool.  The anger towards insurance companies can be intense, as individuals have horror stories of how needed procedures or medicines are not covered at times when in need.  It’s all a matter of how the policy is written.  Yet, often these people see themselves as being “denied” care by the insurance company.  It is unfortunate that this view is so prevalent.  We all have universal access to healthcare now.  That is, we can go to a physician and get treatment for a fee.  The real issue is the method of paying for the healthcare.For me, private insurance (not the government) continues to be the best way to finance healthcare.  If the government ever took it over (single payer system) we would all be very sorry to see what “free” healthcare really costs.