Do you have health insurance?

[Connonym]

I'm an independent contractor so I don't get benefits with work and my chronic health issues effectively prohibit me from getting a private policy.

When you hear the numbers of uninsured Americans it's easy to think of us as faceless others and not someone you know. But here I am, I'm educated, I'm gainfully employed, a hard worker, I'm a good mom and a caring honest person. I wish I didn't have to worry that I'm one bad asthma attack away from financial ruin. I wish that having a Pap smear or a mammogram was something I could take for granted instead of a big-ticket item that I have to budget for. Am I selfish to think access should be available to all of us regardless of our medical history?

[Burma Jones]

1. I have Health Insurance

Until last year, I was an Independent Contractor and got so-so health insurance from Cigna through the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. They have, as of last year, stopped accepting new members. I am now employed in the good old fashioned way, and have better health insurance from my employer.

That being said, I am so appalled at the health care system in this country. It's bad for people and it's also bad for businesses. In Maryland, the state will provide the uninsurable, yet employed, with the opportunity to purchase reasonable health insurance..... God, we're such socialists.....

You are absolutely UN-selfish to believe that health insurance should be available to all.

If Churches REALLY meant what they said, they would start offering health insurance......

[billyskank]

2. I have a big creaky old national health service

but at least it doesn't refuse anyone.

[grace0418]

3. I do now, thank heavens. But prior to getting married none of my jobs had

health insurance. I'm educated as well, a masters degree in fact.

I remember one job I had for a wallcovering designer. He charged jillions of dollars for his high-end wallcoverings (which were very popular with high-end interior designers) and portrayed this image of being very chi-chi. But the offices where we worked were a total dump and the salaries were shit. There was insurance available to us but it would've cost me half my month's pay. I was living paycheck to paycheck as it was, I couldn't afford to give up half that amount.

I remember the head accountant at our office used to rhapsodize about how wonderful our insurance was. I suspect it was so expensive because she picked out insurance that would cover all her many illnesses (since she was given the insurance free as part of her salary). She was always trying to get me to sign up for it (probably so it would somehow benefit her). After hearing her say, for the millionth time, "You really should sign up for this Grace. This insurance is marvelous. It's got all the bells and whistles!" I finally cracked and retorted "Well, I hear Lexus has a really nice car with all the bells and whistles and yet I take the bus to work. So either I'm extraordinarily stupid or I CAN'T AFFORD IT NO MATTER HOW GREAT IT IS. And you should probably know the answer to that seeing as you see my paycheck every two weeks." Grrr.

Anyway, no I don't think you're selfish to want the supposedly "Greatest Country in the World" to actually take care of its taxpaying citizens. Instead we spend the money on illegal wars.

[Reverend_Smitty]

4. nope

I got kicked off my dad's health insurance in May when I graduated from college. Now I just have to be very careful doing stuff and try not to get too close to kids with runny noses.

and you are not too selfish to think that basic medical care shouldn't be a luxury item. Health care shouldn't be a privilege, it should be a right to all citizens especially living in a country that would easily have the means to do it if it would just stop invading other countries.

[SeattleGirl]

5. I haven't had health insurance in a year.

Fortunately, though, as of March 1st, I will be insured again.

[Blue_In_AK]

6. I have health insurance now

through my husband's pension, but before we got married, between 2001 and 2003 when I was self-employed I had to pay a fortune to insure me and my daughter (very basic coverage with a high deductible), almost 1/4 of what I was earning BEFORE taxes.

In a few years we'll be on Medicare and then the nightmare will really begin since Alaska has a severe shortage of doctors who will take medicare patients. I guess we'll just have to stay healthy.

[LSK]

7. yes through work

You might want to check out www.ehealthinsurance.com

Yes our system sucks.

[trof]

8. Yep, Medicare. More expensive than my previous insurance.

One of my retirement benefits was FREE medical (including prescription drugs)& dental coverage until age 65, and for my wife until she reached 65.
I was an airline pilot with mandatory age 60 retirement.

The "free" lasted about 2 years.
Then TWA gasped it's final breath and American Airlines picked up what was left.
The "free" went to $60 a month each (I know, I shouldn't complain) the first year, and $90 a month each the second year.

Oh, DENTAL? Be no dental.

Last year I went on Medicare and that's about $135 a month plus $40 a month for drugs (plus co-pay).

Gettin' old ain't for sissies.
;-)

[u4ic]

9. Canuck here, so yes

I can't even begin to imagine what it's like to not have affordable access to health care. :( :grr:

[NMDemDist2]

10. we should be insured again May 1 for the first time in 3 years

through my hubby's job

we were self employed for the 5 years prior, payed over $7000 a year for the two of us for a while, but when things got tight, it was the first thing we cut

[graywarrior]

11. Hell, no. And I'm a hypochondriac.

[Phillycat]

12. Yes, thank god. The good old fashioned point-of-service, too.

No referrals, just go to the doctor you want and they pay for it. But then, I work for a hospital.

[guitar man]

13. I have it

through my employer for my family. My company does very well for us compared with a lot of other companies and I'm still paying almost $300 a month in premiums. Cuts into the 'ol paycheck pretty hard.

They have been pretty decent about paying the costs, except when my daughter was born last year. I think it was like $1700 that I still had to come out of pocket to pay for all that.

As a nation, we could do a lot better, everyone gets sick or injured sooner or later and it doesn't need to be a crisis-inducing event for any of us.

[AirmensMom]

14. Yes, but we'll be going on COBRA soon.

We get it through harleydad's work, but it's questionable how much longer that will last. The COBRA payment will be close to $1000/month, but we'll have to somehow pay it in order to keep me going in the group. Otherwise, I won't ever be able to get into another group. It sucks. :(

[u4ic]

16. .

:(


:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:



:loveya: :hi:

[AirmensMom]

19. Hey, u4ic!

:hi: :loveya: :hug::hug: :hug: .....

[Connonym]

18. holy cow! That really does suck.

I hope it's a good policy. No way could I afford to scrape that up every month.

[AirmensMom]

20. It is, but that's not the point.

I have a health condition, so if I quit a group policy, I can never get another one ... or if I get one, they won't pay for my condition. I don't have a clue how we'll do it. I just hope harleydad finds a great job!

[AirmensMom]

24. Oh yeah ... I didn't answer your question.

No, you're not being selfish. I think everyone should have access to healthcare. EVERYONE.

[Lex]

15. I pay over $300 per month for the health insurance I have as self-employed.

And it's not got great coverage, but just average. It's something though. I won't complain.

I feel for you.

No one in the country should ever be denied basic health insurance and health care, imho.


*The health insurance/health care industry is ruining families and businesses in this country.*

[Connonym]

17. for a time I bought COBRA continuation from my last employer

I paid over $300 a month for it but I was so glad to HAVE it. Unfortunately that's only good for 18 months after you leave a job. I tried to get into my state's high-risk insurance program and it was in the neighborhood of $800 a month (just for ME not even a family policy) and didn't really offer a lot of benefits. So I suppose technically I could get a policy but a lousy one and far more expensive than I could ever afford.

I do want to share something that I think's pretty cool though. For the past couple years I've bought a prescription discount card. It costs $50 a year and only covers generics but most prescriptions are $10 a month or $20 for a 3-month mail in. I was a bit leery that it was a scam but my local Walgreens accepts it and I've not had a bad experience at all. With my asthma meds and my antidepressant I more than recoup the cost of the annual fee with what I save in just one month.

[NewWaveChick1981]

21. I do.

I pay out the nose to insure my husband, who is a freelance graphic artist. My employer pays my premium, but it costs an outrageous amount to have my husband on my employer's insurance. It is, however, cheaper than buying an individual policy for him, which was even more insane.

You are NOT selfish to think everyone should have access. I believe everyone should.

[Ariana Celeste]

22. I haven't had any since I turned 18

so it's been almost 4 years.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

23. I have crappy insurance for self-employed people

It's all we can afford. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

25. you're not selfish

in the least. I live in a country with socialized medicine but it isn't the bee's knees. "You get what you pay for." comes to mind. When I was privately insured here, I went to the doctor and was given every test under the sun and my insurance was charged an arm and a leg and we paid out the nose every month for the policy. Publicly insured now and the costs are much lower but my coverage doesn't even include blood tests for a regular yearly exam. I was screened within an inch of my life for pre-existing conditions by both insurance companies though.

[youthere]

26. Insured through my husband's employer.

[Shine]

27. Coincidentally, I just finished watching the movie "John Q"

which tackles this very issue. If you haven't seen it, I'd definitely recommend that you do. Denzel Washington is in it and it's great. :thumbsup:

I believe universal health care for all is a must.

on edit: yes, we have insurance b/c of my husband's job. We're among the lucky ones, but there are 50 million Americans who aren't covered. It's a travesty.

[China_cat]

28. No insurance, no chance of getting any

'pre-existing conditions'. Meaning that I'm alive, I guess.

[Arger68]

29. Yup, self-employed and buy my own.

$60.00 per month, $10,000.00 deductible. :eyes: