I am a 27-year-old New Yorker and I have been living without health insurance for a little over a year now. I lost my insurance when I left my full-time teaching job to pursue writing. I now teach part-time and intern (for little to no pay) and write with the rest of my time. Between rent, student loans, and living expenses, my budget has little wiggle room, but after a recent bout of the flu, I decided that I really needed to get serious about finding some health insurance. I was deeply disappointed by what I found.
A few people had recommended that I try Healthy NY. I went on their website and took an eligibility test, but was denied. I make about $200 too much each month to qualify. I looked at some of the insurance company links that Healthy NY directed me too (for rich people like me who can afford to pay tons of money out of pocket for insurance) and was shocked to see that if I wanted health insurance I would have to pay almost $500 each month to get it. Between my rent and other expenses, there is no way I could afford this. Besides, if I only make $200 too much, shouldn’t you charge me an amount closer to that?
This is a perfect example of the problems that plague our current health care system. If I didn’t work at all and or worked a low-paying job, I could receive free health insurance in the form of Medicaid, Family Aid, or Healthy NY. Because I do work and don’t receive any federal aid, I can’t. My employers don’t cover my health insurance, but also don’t pay me enough money so that I can afford to buy it on my own. I feel like I am being punished for being a responsible member of society.
It’s really scary to live without health insurance, even for someone like me who is young and generally healthy. If I was involved in some sort of emergency right now and had to go to the hospital, I would spend the rest of my life paying off medical bills. I hope something changes soon so that everyone has access to health insurance at a reasonable cost.
Have you ever lived without insurance? What do you hope will come out of the current healthcare overhaul?
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Comments (18)
we have health insurance through my husbands work, but it is really crappy insurance and with the deductible and everything we can't afford to go to the dr even though we have insurance. We fall in the category called "working poor"
One possible option is to look around for community health centers that are targeted toward people with no insurance and charge on a sliding scale based on income. I know Texas has a lot of them, both by the government & individual groups.
I understand the feeling of being in that situation. My insurance is cheap through my school but no way can we afford it for my husband. It's scary.
I have health insurance but it just doesn't cover enough! Until the deductible is met there is NO affording the costs of everything else (and now that I have a daughter, the deductible is $3000.) LUCKILY I didn't make too much to get SOME assistance...but it's like, if I made enough then I wouldn't be here...cuz I was turned down for other assistance. But because of what I make I can't get healthcare for free, either. I feel your pain, as I was without health insurance for a long while.
No. Since moving out on my own 4 years ago. I've been without health insurance. I've never had a problem and really am not worried about it. I'm extremely scared about this new "health overhaul". People think that somehow it'll be "free healthcare for all". There is no such thing as "free". And even though I don't make alot of money I am enough of a American to not like someone paying for my health care.
I've never had insurance. Ever. There could be a multitude of things wrong with me (and there are, trust me), but I just can't afford it. I hope this healthcare reform actually does something for people like me (come to think of it, for every American too), but Democrats are too busy playing nice to give a shit about what the majority of Americans want. I wish Howard Dean could slap some sense into them. :(
I am in the same boat when it comes to my health insurance. Alabama may be considered backward in some regards, but they do have excellent plans for health insurance for your children. I only have to pay $100 a year for John's health insurance. It will go up if I still live here and if I make more money, I have yet to need to have health insurance. I hope it stays that way.
And people somehow still think that socialized medicine is a bad thing.
*sigh*
I feel you girl. Ever since I graduated I no longer have insurance. It does suck.
"I feel like I am being punished for being a responsible member of society."
Hit the nail on the head. Well, not my personal nail, since I've always been too busy being a student to have a job and contribute to society. Because of that, I'm not really upset about the fact that I don't have health insurance. It does bother me, though, when people like my mom can't get health insurance. She's been working and paying taxes since she was sixteen. She's already had two heart attacks, and she's so sick now that she can only work part time. Only full-timers get health insurance through her workplace. She doesn't make nearly enough to pay for her own health insurance. If there's an emergency, it's pretty much the end of her.
She always makes jokes about quitting her job and being a welfare bum, and honestly, I'd totally support her. Where has working hard gotten her, really? There are able-bodied people out there refusing to work and milking the welfare system for all it's worth. They get free vehicles and even get help with buying oil and paying rent. You know how much help a few foodstamps would be to us? But my parents make "too much" to qualify... Yeah right.
Free healthcare FTW.
Sounds like your problem is not with the Health care, but in paying for it. I think far too many people confuse the two, and of course in playing politics, both sides blur the issue to frighten voters.
What is health insurance? It is when a group of people pool their money, so that hospital bills can be paid. The rates are based on the health of the people in the pool, and the likeliness they'll need medical services. If the group is unhealthy and needs a lot of medical attention, everyone has to pay more to cover the costs. If they are healthy and don't use much medical service, the rates can stay low for the group. If the medical costs go way up (hospitals raising their rates because of high insurance, lawyers sueing them, high salaries, etc) then your rates go up even if you don't have an increase in consumption, because the bills still have to be paid. One reason people in different age groups, with different habits (smoker? obese? had cancer or heart disease?) pay different rates according to their risk of needing medical services. The 50 year old who is 75 lbs overweight, smokes, drinks daily and already has had two heart attacks is a lot more likely to need medical services in the next 5 years than the 22 year old college student who runs track. If they are in the same insurance pool, the 22 year olds premiums will be spent proportionately more on the 50 year old. Fair? Perhaps, perhaps not.
There is no such thing as "free health care". It is not a right. You do not deserve it. Doctors and nurses are not expected to work for free. Hospitals have electric and gas bills that have to be paid. Medicine costs money to manufacture and distribute. Surgical instruments and CAT scanners cost a lot of money to design and build and install. Socialized health systems like in GB or Canada provide health care to all, but everyone pays high taxes to cover it. The quality of care is not that great, the waiting times are long. When affluent people from other countries need good medical care, they come to the U.S. Why? Because we have some of the best health care experts and facilities in the world. Why do people not head to Bolivia, or Argentina, Venezuela, or Africa for advanced medical treatment? Where is the "Mayo Clinics" of those countries?
Costs for medical care have gotten out of control because of tort claims and lawyers. You can always follow the money trail. Greedy lawyers that sue hospitals and Drs for millions, and bleeding heart liberal judges and juries are responsible for the upward spiral of costs. Then insurnace companies raise their premiums or pay for less of each procedure to hold costs affordable. Even doing that, with high deductibles, paying 80%, etc, our insurance costs are very high. I was in the hospital for less than 2 days with a mild heart attack, got 3 stents implanted, and came out with a bill for $81,000. I have no insurance, how do I pay that? Monthly. File bankruptcy if I have to, get it discharged. Not a happy thought, but that is what we have. Reform is needed in paying for health care, not the health care itself. Someone pays for those low income folks who get the "free health care". You do. I do. And every other taxpaying citizen does too.
Government is not the answer. That creates bureaucracy. Who wants some government pencil pusher deciding what medical procedure you are allowed to have? Not only "No", but "Hell No". Look at the wonderful job they've done with Medicare and Medicaid. Both are bankrupt. Amtrack has lost money, lots of money, ever since the government took it over 40 years ago. Look at "Cash for Clunkers". Cost us 3 billion to create vouchers to get old cars off the road. Vouchers were turned in for about 375 million when it was all done. Spend 3 billion to save about 10% of that. Typical government program, bloated with perks for the good ole boys, etc. And now we want the government to run our healthcare? Uh, not a good plan...
My mother was in the same boat- too much money to qualify for free health care (or reduced health care) but we weren't rich enough to afford to buy any. And what few times her job did have health care, she couldn't afford to use it because the deductible was so high.
Out of my 23 years of life, I've had health insurance for about 5 years total. That's it. I have to watch my health like a hawk, and use natural/home remedies to keep myself from getting sick to the point of going to the doctor. I shudder at the thought of getting into an accident, because surely, I wouldn't be able to afford to get the care I need. And like you, I am a working member of society, but would make too much to get it for free, but can't afford to buy my own. My company can't afford to provide us health care, so I just have to wait until something breaks either way. Right now, I need cavities filled, and new glasses, along with some other health issues that need to be looked at. However, it'll probably be years before I can get anything fixed.
I love America...
I currently live without health insurance, as does my roommate. Although her employer is going to provide it for her once she gets beyond the trial period. Usually trial periods are just 30 or 60 days, sometimes 90. However, she has to work for a year before she gets it.
However, I'm not so lucky. :p
It is scary. We have very little wiggle room for ANY extras right now, so even a $20 co-pay is going to bite into our wallets pretty hard. We can't grow money like a tree grows leaves, so by the time we're done with bills and groceries, there's hardly anything left.
I just simply don't go to the doctor. If I get sick, I get sick. If I have something really serious, I just have to hope that I know someone who can help me out with a co-pay or something, and if I don't then I just have to hope it doesn't turn into something deadly. I can't afford a co-pay, let alone an ambulance ride, a hospital stay, an ER visit...that runs you into the thousands right away. The cost of a simple ambulance ride is completely insane.
Either way, I definitely feel your pain. I'm personally hoping for a public option. Others are hoping for health care reform occurring in other ways. I don't care, ultimately, how it happens...I just want to be able to have health care. Right now, I have access to buying it, but I can't afford it. So, it IS like we're being punished for being responsible citizens. And it's a joke to say that even though one can't afford something, it's still their option to buy it. There is no such option if you can't afford it. If the money is not there, it is not there. I don't have a money tree orchard out back, my ass does not spontaneously produce money, and my wallet and bank accounts do not in any way magically replenish themselves. If the money isn't there, it isn't there.
So, I definitely feel your frustration and fear.
Thanks for the support from people who have been there. And a word to the wise: I don't expect anyone to pay for my insurance. I have more than one job and am trying to pay for my own healthcare, but I do expect there to be reasonable options out there. I don't think it's reasonable to have to pay $500/month based upon my income and my relative lack of need for medical attention. I have paid into the system and I should get something back out of it, but I would be happy if they just passed a bill that opened up competition between the states. I am tired of insurance companies building monopolies and then charging people whatever they want or denying care when people do get sick. Congress members are able to choose their insurance across state lines. We should have the same option. And please don't call people un-American because they have different views than you.
I'm in that same spot.
I just go kicked off my parents insurance, to old now.
I work full time but making what I make, is way to much to get help from the state. You have to make barely anything to get help. My friend works part time and still barely makes it.
Between rent and food, gas and then my car payment I don't have extra cash to spend on a 200-300 dollar health insurance plan.
I don't really know what to look forward to in this new bill, just because I know so much about it already that I'm scared for the fines when they come. But I can say if it lowers rates or helps out those like me who need it I'm for it. So far though its not going to be doing that.
I've had to live without health insurance pretty much all my life. My family was in the same bracket and therefore didn't qualify. It sucked but we just learned to eat right, exercise, and just in general, try to lead healthier lives.
I like the comment you made about being a hard working member of society....visit my Facebook page and look at my notes. lol I am complaining about trying to get health care also. I am going blind and in kidney failure....I have nothing and will not have any insurance for the next year, if I live that long. www.facebook.com/valeriemundyfowler
Thanks for sharing all this great information. I am going to social bookmark this for sure.
My husband and I are self-employed. After paying $642.00 a month for 8 months and my husband got sick I found out that I did not have the insurance I thought I had. What I had was a discount program. My bad I should have known better (even if insurance mumbo jumbo is just as confusing as legal mumbo jumbo). So after helping a young pregnant teen get medi-cal, the worker informed me that all people are eligible for Medi-cal! WOW, I said sign me up! She said sure, in your case (self-employed) you would be on a Pay As You Need basis. Sounds good to me. You would pay a fee but again only as you needed to see a doctor. OK. sounds good. Now the average first time doctor visit is $140.00 and that does not include any shot you may get or any exams (females) or X-rays. All that is extra and payment is expected at time of service. So it makes sense that I would pay a small fee to the doctor office and then they would bill medi-cal....and that is exactly what they do, except that SMALL FEE is (now get this) $3674.00 per month that I see a doctor. Yes folks thats right. I am expected to pay the first $3674 each and every month that I see a doctor. HELLO, I cant afford the $140 where the hell am I suppose to get the $3674? Now I know that the doctor visit is not that much and that if I had to go to the hospital and some $100.000 surgery done this would be great, but in reality in my situation (and this happened with my sons surgery after a dog bite to the face) the young lady from billing comes in and asks....whats the name of your insurance company? I dont have any. Ok I will need a copy of your last years profit and loss statement and sign here for the Charity Payment program. Thank You.