Do you have health insurance?

I haven't had health insurance since 2004.
Ironically I've never felt healthier.

All health care is paid for by the government here. (Not elective stuff)
That is why our taxes are so high in Canada.

At least the doctors make all the decisions in regards to treatment - not some bureaucrap.

That's one of the reason's I have a part-time day job. Since I'm insulin dependent I can't get private insurance at any price. But it would be impossible to afford all the meds without insurance...

Hello,
I have not had health insurance for about 1 year now, the doctor that I used to go to was a real pill pusher, I am off all the meds and I feel much better.

Gotta have the health insurance. If you're going to live in the US, it's a necessary evil.

The problem occurs if you are ever diagnosed with an illness (and again, I use diabetes only because that's what I live with) it becomes nearly impossible to get insurance because it's then a pre-existing condition. And the cost are huge and consistent.
BTW - I'm 5'3 and weigh 125 so it's not a result of obesity. This is a conclusion people like to jump to. Healthy living will lower or reduce your chances of many health problems. But it's not a guarantee.

"Healthy living will lower or reduce your chances of many health problems. But it's not a guarantee. "

I'm not going into my story, Most here in OT know it already,if you don't follow the links in my sig or find more threads by me. Luckily I DO have insurance,but its only because a charity pays my premiums. I spent 50 years almost never being sicker than a common cold, then my illness struck. Even with insurance I have had to declare bankruptcy twice,as my medical costs are outrageous.

I just wish there was an easier way for self-employed people to have access to afforable health insurance.

Not trying to start a debate about health care reform (please) Only stating my personal wish list. Though I guess if I'm wishing I could wish for perfect health...

Sorry to hear about your problems, Kim. Medical bills can become overwhelming so quickly. I was in the hospital a total of 2 days last year (with health insurance) and I'm still paying off the bills. I can't even imagine what you're dealing with.

I believe our health system is much different to that in America. I have partial health insurance, I am covered for extras - dental, physio, chiropractic, optical - that sort of thing, but we don't have private hospital insurance - way too expensive.

Even with the extras I often wonder if the payments are worth the benefit we get since we don't usually use that much -but this year my son has braces so we are definitely getting our moneys worth this year!

Well, I have insurance for NOW, but ask again in about 4-6 years! That's all I'll Say.

I DOUBT diabetes means you can't have insurance. Of course, if you have diabetes, and haven't been insured for it in the past 90 days, they won't cover DIABETES, and may not cover related things. Diabetes can cause a LOT of problems. It can cause nerve damage, skin damage, blood vessel damage(which can cause heart, kidney, liver, eye damage), etc...

BTW SOME question whether obesity causes diabetes, and diabetes CAN cause a loss of weight! And the question has never REALLY been one of obesity anyway, but high glycemic carbs. Some can take in such carbs and not noticably gain weight. The theory is that a constant rise in insulin from the HGI carbs causes an insensitivety to, or loss of ability to produce, iinsulin.

Of course, the obesity/glycemic tie is with type II diabetes.

As for canada being only 100% outcome based, I hope you NEVER have reason to doubt that. I have never heard of such a thing, so you are probably wrong. The US HCP has limitations, and doesn't even fully spell out what WILL be covered. THAT is to be done by a panel that hasn't been setup yet. My uncle in Denmark was subjected to THOSE limitations.

Steve

"I DOUBT diabetes means you can't have insurance."

I can have it under a group plan. I've never found any private insurance that would take diabetics. And as you say, they can relate almost anything back to it...heart problems, stroke, etc. etc. So if they did say they would cover me, but not the diabetes, then it would probably only be good for a broken arm....though they might say I had a seizure caused by diabetes which is why I fell and therefore, not cover it. (ok, that's a slight exaggeration). As you can tell, I'm not a huge fan of insurance companies.
But other than high-risk state enforced plans (which is closed in Florida) I've never found private insurance that would cover me.

My only point is, it can be very hard for self-employed people to find coverage once they have pre-existing conditions. It's something to at least consider in advance.

Sheryl: I went through the braces thing with my daughter a few years ago. My dental covered none and her dad's covered 1/5 of the total cost (which was $5,500) OUCH.
But her teeth look great now!!! lol

I have health insurance. I pay part, my employer pays part. The problem I have is that my wife runs an in-home daycare and being self employed is covered on mine. My employer is a small business and the rates are terrible. But they are less than what she could get her own, stand alone health care policy for. Health insurance is a roll of the dice. They tell me I have to have it which is true until it gets to the point that it costs so much that it interferes with my family being able to eat and make my mortgage payment.

Back in the 90's when I was self employed, I had no insurance. My then girlfriend now my wife got it for me though her job under "domestic partner" status.
Eight months later diverticulitis hit and put me in the hospital for a week. That was a close shave for me because without insurance it would have bankrupted me.

Later, I still kept my business but got a full time job as well. My wife lost that job and our insurance so I was able to get us insured with my job.

I consider myself lucky after having 4 surgeries since 2006 that I have the coverage even though it still set me back a few grand.

So If you don't have it and can get it, get it because like me, you never know when the hammer will hit. It's just a matter of when.

All the best,
John

Here in the Philippines, Health Insurance is a requirement for every employee, it is mandated by the government, even an unemployed individual can also avail the insurance.

It's a tough choice, Clint... No easy answers. Wish I had some suggestions to offer.

Medical bills have drove me to bankruptcy twice in the last 5 years.
The first time we did a chapter 13,which is the one where you ty to pay your creditors back in a 5 year period. After struggling for almost 3 years to do that,while medical bills continued to increase,we converted over to a chapter 11,which is a full blown bankrupty. All this does is keep the dogs off you a short time, because the medical bills still keep piling up.
There is no question our country is in a medical/health insurance crisis,but you wont see it until you become ill.

Kimw,

Nobody in their right mind says it is perfect. I am not as bad off as you yet, but I certainly went down hill FAST. I can see a LOT of ways costs could drop and quality and availability of care can go UP, by making only a few changes. Who knows, it may even help YOU out a lot. I mean you may have to have doctors review things, do tests, etc... If you have the ability to do the tests, they ought to allow you to, etc... In MY case, it could have saved me THOUSANDS of dollars just last year. And doctors will have less to do, so they can handle more patients. Hospitals can handle more important tests. Lines would be shorter. And HEY, smaller crowds mean less potential for infection which can mean fewer complications! Too bad SO few want to even DISCUSS such things!

Steve

Steve,
You know I agree with you for the most part. I would love to go into more detail but it wouldnt be prudent.

I insist to all that you should have a health insurance. Its a good investment. it can help you in times. So friends by one till it gets late.

Kimw,

I didn't say anything against what any reasonable person would want. But you're right, we'll leave it at that.

With regard to tests, I had one test done that ended up costing about $1000! With CURRENT resources, that no hospital will tell you about, I could do it for about $400! Just one LITTLE example! And my INR test went from about $40 to about $6.

Steve

I live in the Uk so please excuse my ignornace about this. So if you are ill, I mean seriously ill, what would happen if you had no insurance? Woud you not get any health care?
And what about having a baby, do you have to have insurance for that and what happens if you don't?

What do you do if you have quite a few kids, do you have to insure them in order to get health care for them?

What happens to the poor?

Being in the UK I have to endure high taxation levels which is not much fun. However I never have to give a thought to paying for healthcare beacuse it is free at the point of access. I have to say that with four kids I prefer to face the high taxation and know I can get whatever care they might need.

Insurance has ALWAYS been a gamble! ALWAYS!!!!!!! You basically bet AGAINST yourself! If you DO get hurt, etc... your winnings help pay for the problem. If you DON'T get hurt, you lose, and the money you lose goes to help pay someone elses bet(er insurance)! They EVEN have ODDSMAKERS! They are called actuaries Actuary - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ! I could say more, but...

I recently checked what insurance would cost me if I bought a private policy. I could probably do OK with about $5000/year. Luckily, I have a better and cheaper policy through work.

ThomM,

I was pretty healthy until 2005, and had a MAJOR problem.

Pauline60,

As I understand it, the hospitals DO cover it, etc... I guess the person is supposed to pay based on what they agree. It is FUNNY here! I once was in the middle of getting a home, and funding was pulled and all because I got a $5000/year raise! I actually couldn't afford the home because I made TOO MUCH!!!!!!! GOT THAT? If I made $5000/year less, or about $12000 MORE, I coulld afford it, but I was middle middle class, so I couldn't afford it! INCREDIBLE! Anyway, MANY things
here are like that.

BTW my major operation coost about $240K(as I recall). Out of that about 50% was written off, which lowered it to $120K. My payment would have been about $24,000. Financially and timing wise, things happened to work very well. One of the best heart hospitals in the state is like 20 miles away. I rode out all my vacation time, and bench time, so it was almost as if nothing happened.

Steve