With tough economic times and ever-increasing health care costs, many Americans feel they just can't afford to get sick.  The financial impact that a critical illness, such as a heart attack, cancer, or stroke, can have on a typical U.S. household can be devastating, with many lacking the resources needed to cope with an unexpected medical expense as well as the associated loss of income.  MetLife's white paper, Critical Times Require Critical Solutions, exposes the gaps in personal financial safety nets that a health situation may create despite having medical and disability income coverage and outlines steps employers can take to help employees obtain the right amount of protection. To download the white paper, visit www.metlife.com/criticalillness.

"The recession and the slow economic recovery have awakened and renewed people's interest in the idea of financial protection," said Jodi Anatole, vice president, Critical Illness Insurance at MetLife.  "But there is a lack of awareness on two fronts when it comes to the financial implications of a critical illness on a household budget.  One is that people do not understand what critical illness insurance is, and how it can provide a financial safety net to help cover the unexpected costs of a critical illness.  The other is that people do not realize that their medical and disability coverage may not address the full financial consequences of an illness – and are often surprised to find that there are uncovered expenses."

A State of Unpreparedness