Keeping one's body healthy can be an expensive task. Between doctor visits, trips to the dentist and optometrist consultations, consumers can lose a good chunk of their wages in their quest for personal wellness. For this reason, many health conscious consumers find themselves purchasing an individual health insurance plan to offset some of these costs. Others might instead contemplate purchasing a health discount plan, reasoning that a health discount plan is practically the same thing as individual health insurance. This could not be further from the truth, however, as health discount plans differ substantially from real health insurance plans.

One difference between individual health insurance and a health discount plan lies in the payment structure. Health insurance pays health care providers directly, usually at a rate that has been worked out beforehand. Health discount plans, however, do not make any payments to a health care provider. Instead, they offer plan members discounts on specific providers, who the member will pay directly. If a health discount plan member chooses to visit a provider not covered by the discount plan, they will pay the entire bill themselves.

Another difference between individual health insurance and a health discount plan is the amount of the bill that an individual will be required to pay. While specific health insurance plans vary, they generally pay most, if not all, of the fees associated with both preventative and routine health care, as well as major operations. Some cheaper insurance plans only cover major medical costs, of which they pay a large percentage of the bill. Health discount plans, on the other hand, often pay only a small percentage of these fees, leaving the discount plan member to foot the majority of the bill.

Additionally, many discount plans currently on the market turn out to do very little to help those who purchase them. These plans might charge high fees, while offering miniscule discounts to health care providers that fall outside of one's immediate area. Even worse, some unscrupulous plans list certain caregivers as providing discounts, who in reality do not accept that plan. Sometimes, prescriptions even cost more with a health discount plan than they would without one. Indeed, many individuals would have been better off if they had never purchased a health discount plan.

While not all health discount plans are looking to take advantage of consumers, even the best ones do not offer anywhere near the amount of security as an individual health insurance plan. Some individuals have preexisting conditions that exclude them from health insurance coverage, and these people might find themselves quite happy with a discount plan. Whatever the case, these plans are not real insurance and should be treated accordingly.