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Without a doubt, there is a health-care crisis in our country today.

There are more people without health insurance than at any point since World War II. An estimated one in seven Americans do not have health coverage. Almost one-third of the U.S. population has gone without health insurance at some time in the last 3 years.

A third of the population is covered by government-sponsored programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. That amounts to 100 million Americans. Only about one-third of the citizens of this country have some form of health insurance.

Notice I used the term "some form" instead of adjectives like "good" health insurance or "adequate" medical coverage. Many programs feature such incredibly high deductibles and co-payments that they would hardly qualify under those two terms.

Too many Americans then fail to obtain needed health-care services because it falls under the deductible or because their copayments just won't fit in the weekly budget.

In a commercial I find particularly troubling, the boss in a company announces to the cheers of the crowd of employees that their company had just signed up again with the same health-insurance carrier. What he probably didn't tell them is that their deductible went way up and their copay doubled.

Higher copays in and of themselves are not necessarily bad. Someone with a higher copay is going to be a more discriminating consumer of health-care services. By sharing in the payment of those costs, the patient becomes more conscious of making sure that they get their money's worth.

But when someone avoids getting medical care, instead making medical decisions without the benefit of those most trained to do so, they may be putting their health in jeopardy.

So what can you do?

My best answer is ridiculously simple: Stay healthy.

Think about it. If you are healthy, you don't have to think about the cost of health care.

You are probably thinking, "That's ridiculous. I don't choose to be unhealthy."

Well, yeah, you do -- at least most of the time.

At least 50 percent of the problems for which Americans seek medical help can be tied to lifestyle.

If you quit smoking, your chances of getting lung cancer or emphysema go way down. Almost the day you quit, you become healthier.

If you eat better, you may not get diabetes or heart problems and you will most certainly lose weight, which gives you a far better chance to stay healthy and live longer.

That means watching fat intake, cutting back on sweets and eating three meals a day.

If you exercise daily, you will lose weight and have a healthier heart and lungs. Did you know that some insurance companies give you a break on your premium if you are a member of a fitness center?

And if you visit your doctor for an annual physical, you will allow him or her to help make smarter decisions about your health and identify problems in their earliest stages when they are much easier to manage.

Health insurance: You thought it was a government program or a paycheck deduction.

No, it's much more, and a big part of that is your responsibility.

Joe Black, PT, SCS, ATC, is a physical therapist and athletic trainer at Appalachian Therapy Center. Write to him at: Joe Black, c/o The Daily Times, P.O. Box 9740, Maryville, TN 37802.