On family's journey to being uninsured

Check out this recent forum posting on BlogHer.org.

There are those, and some of them reside in the MedBlogosphere, who believe that many of the 45 million uninsured in America are uninsured because the "want to be."

This family's story defines what that "want to be" really looks like: they're hedging their bets because out-of-pocket costs not only far exceeded a percentage of their income they were comfortable with, but in fact their doctor would give them better rates as an uninsured person than they would get going through their insurance company (that part sounds like a very rare case, though, I must say.)

Unfortunately I think the poster is underestimating what it would take to exceed their annual costs of insurance. She thinks it would have to be cancer or severe burns. Actually I think about a week in the hospital would exceed their annual coverage costs, not the four-month example she uses, but I could be wrong.

The point is that this is a currently healthy, middle-class family, running a small business and unable to get health care that even approaches affordable. So, yes they've made the choice to go without, and you can say they "want to be" without, or that they're taking an unfathomable risk, especially with children, but it's pretty easy to understand.

The poster thinks socialized medicine is the only way to solve the health care crisis, and concludes:

So Missy, you're not saying you're in favor of socialized medicine?

Oh, that's exactly what I'm saying. Does the idea of politicians screwing around with my health care coverage with every election cycle scare me and piss me off? Hell, yes. But it's less frightening than going without coverage.
It's time to reign in the drug companies. It's time to reign in the insurance companies. It's time to do away with spiraling costs. It's time to realize normal market forces don't work when it comes to health care. It's time to do away with this crazy "your money or your life" mentality disguising itself as simple capitalism.

I AM a capitalist. With all my heart and soul. But health care is different. It's a public matter. It's a social good. We need change.

Comments

[mchebert]

I can relate to the poster's position, but you are right; she is taking a horrible risk. Forget about cancer. Suppose the poster is cutting her grass and gets chest pain. She gets scared, goes to the ER ($1000), gets admitted ($500), and gets a stress test ($3000) before being released the next day. $4500 in 24 hours. If she has appendicitis, double that, and maybe triple it if she has post-op fevers.

A minor medical problem can drain you in days. If a person cannot afford a standard plan, get a high deductable plan that only protects against catastrophic expenses. But I have seen people crushed by sudden hospital bills. It is foolish to take that kind of risk.

[Elisa Camahort]

Thanks for putting some numbers to it...you confirm what I suspected.