Yes, based on the math. The product they are selling is at to high of a margin. How do we know that. Have you driven by state farm and or look at a insurance agents car. They are making too much money on the product they are selling

Thanks Caro! These stories scare the shit out of me. I’m really sorry you and your Dad had to go through those tough years!! A good update – I have do have health insurance now! :) Thanks for reading :)

“Most people think sickness is inevitable, but that’s simply untrue. I eat a strict organic diet and know how to keep my immune system operating at its highest capacity. I spend ALL my money on high quality food and supplements.”

Lol you are so cute. Better hope that tip-top immune system doesn’t turn on you and start attacking your body like mine did. None of us get out alive.

My sole wage earner dad’s bad year was back pain resulting in an 8 month in-hospital stay in an isolation ward for leukemia bone marrow transplant at a cost of well over a million dollars in 1991 dollars.

You are not insuring for the day to day stuff which is definitely cheaper to pay out of pocket. You are insuring for the catastrophes so you can 1) get treated instead of dying or becoming disabled and 2) not go bankrupt.

I think you’d be surprised by how much a good family doc can manage – we’ve gotten a bad rap lately, with insurance companies mandating how many patients we have to see in a day in order to get paid. Most family docs don’t have the time to use all the skills they were trained to have. With an hour to see a patient, I have plenty of time for a full joint exam, to discuss exercises and stretches to help, to apply a cast – to go through a thorough history and maybe avoid a specialist at all.

Yep – I hear ya. Brochures usually show lowest prices and best case scenarios. Cheers!

Thanks Dr Rachel! This is great info I love seeing all the alternative types of care. I see there’s a place close to me – looks like mostly preventative stuff included – what about the horrible scenarios where specialists are needed? I’m guessing I just get referred from there?
Thank you!

And a local Direct Primary Care practice would save you hundreds if not thousands in scenario #1 (and the other scenarios as well), and might help make up for the pain of that monthly cost for HDHP. DPC is better for doctors and patients alike, and is the only reason I’m able to be such a happily practicing physician! Less expensive + better care means a lot to me. Locations from around the country are included here:
https://mapper.dpcfrontier.com/

Sounds like the brochure covered a vaginal birth that results in a healthy baby and mama. ;)

It’s the premies, c-sections (US stats are terrible), maternal complications and NICU stays that are $$$ and almost entirely out of your control.

Thanks Gene. I needed to read this. I’ve had 2 motorbike crashes in my life – both in Australia where the care and ambulance was free – (I also wasn’t at fault). Nothing as bad as yours though! Wow. $180k saved – plus wages is no chump change. I’m so glad you had the extra coverage!

I do like insurance, in general. I have policies for renters, landlord/property for all my rentals, umbrella liability and auto with the highest limits available. What kills me is the premium for health. It’s more than all my other 8 policies combined. Maybe I need to read more stories like yours… Just that knee xray photo makes me cringe!