For many people, age is really only a number. Even those people who have reached the so called "golden years" only think about how old they are when it cannot be avoided. So, why should customer age have such a huge impact on the cost of a health insurance plan? It seems to be a question that only very few can answer.

Did you know that a large number of people between the age of 50 and 64 cannot afford to have a health insurance plan? This is because health insurance companies often charge people in this segment of the population nearly double what a 20-year-old would pay, even when their health issues may be similar.

After decades of trying and an intense debate, Congress passed a new health care bill, called the Affordable Care Act, earlier this year. While the proponents claim that the new bill will substantially lower costs, opponents say it will do exactly the opposite and raise healthcare costs. Only time will tell.

However, in any case, the new bill does not change much because it still allows insurance companies to charge many times more for older insured persons than they charge for younger consumers. The way things are right now, the quoted premium for a 60-year-old man is at least four times higher than the same rate for a man in his twenties, even before any health issues are taken into effect. That basically means that a healthy 60-year-old at this time has to pay an overly disproportionate amount more than a young man, even if both are in good health. According to a major insurance website, a Florida man in his twenties can get a basic health insurance policy for around $40 per month, while a man in his sixties will pay $280 per month for the exact same policy.

The reason given seems to be the need for more age-specific tests, as well as the fact that as people age, their health inevitably declines. There are several screening tests that people should have done once they reach the age of 40. This results in more costs to the health insurance companies, and thus, so they pass the increased costs, based on customer age.

The result of the current health insurance situation is that a large percentage of the population over the age of 40 needs but cannot afford to have insurance coverage. It is everyone's hope that this situation will soon change, but until then, search online for the best prices for a health insurance plan. Doing so, you will be able to mitigate some of the negative effects of your age on your premiums.