I just returned from the Western States Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas. I spent three days there talking to veterinarians about PurinaCare Pet Health Insurance. It seems to me that veterinarians are getting on board with the idea of pet health insurance in general and that would be a good idea for both the veterinary profession and pet health, in general.
Vets want to provide the best health care possible and sometimes they are forced to compromise. I had a number of discussions with vets and animal health technicians along the same lines. They are in the exam room with an anxious owner.
They have just explained that their pet has a serious disease problem and they have gone through the recommended treatment protocol. The hospitalization for tests, diagnostic procedures and medications is likely to run into the thousands and the pet will probably need expensive medication for the rest of his life.
They can see what is going on in the owner's mind.
It's obvious that the pet owners love the pet as member of the family, but they are constrained by financial concerns. If it was one of the children and they had health insurance, the decision would be an easy one. "Go ahead Dr., do what's best."
For most pet owners it's not that easy. If they had pet health insurance they could avail themselves of everything the practice or a near by specialist could offer. But most pet owners don't have pet health insurance. In fact, according to a recent report, only about five percent of owners that regularly seek veterinary care have pet health insurance.
When the owner does have insurance there is a sigh of relief all around. The client has the peace of mind to know that after their
deductible and co-pay, their insurance will kick in providing financial assistance with covered expenses. The veterinarian and staff know that they won't have to compromise on care and that they can go ahead and do what's needed for their patient.
From my discussions more and more veterinarians are going to start recommending pet health insurance as a part of routine puppy and kitten visits.
That would be a great start on the road to a lifetime of care.