Are you one of the millions of Americans without health insurance? By the end of 2014, an estimated 12.9% of American adults were going without coverage, and CNN reports that 11.9% were still uninsured during the first quarter of 2015. Although this is a significant decline from before the Affordable Care Act was passed, it’s still a large portion of the population.

People choose to forgo health insurance for a number of reasons. Some think that it’s too costly, whereas others think they won’t even need the coverage. Even though it’s not mandatory like car insurance typically is, and younger people usually don’t need things like Medicare supplements or long term care providers, it’s still a good policy to have. Additionally, only two in every five Americans under 65 has insurance through an employer, which means that many people are paying on their own.

So do you need coverage for your medical care? Here are three compelling reasons to get insured if you’re not already:

• Doctors’ visits will be cheaper. Paying to see a physician or specialist out of pocket can be costly. Without insurance, you could wind up paying 10 times as much or more than you would with coverage. Co-pays are far less inexpensive — and much easier to deal with — than having to pay a bill later on.
• Prescription drugs are covered. Even if you don’t have a chronic condition that requires you to take medication regularly, you may still have a need for prescription drugs in the future. Acute illnesses may require you to buy medications, which often cost much more without insurance. Additionally, if you do happen to be diagnosed with a chronic illness, you’ll want to make sure that your medicines and other treatments are paid for in full or in part to help save you money.
• You’ll have insurance for emergency hospital coverage, too. Perhaps one of the most compelling reasons to get a medical insurance policy is so you’ll have coverage in case you have to go to the hospital. Even if you’re relatively healthy now, that doesn’t mean you won’t have a medical emergency in the future, from needing emergency surgery to getting into a serious accident.

Have you reconsidered your need for health insurance? Tell us what you think in the comments below, and remember to explore the options available to you in your state.