Gasp! An uninsured Nurse (rant)

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2011

It sounds like your husband's insurance is not a very good policy. It's unfortunate that it is so expensive to add you to his plan.

I'm glad that things have gone well for you so far, being uninsured. I sincerely hope that you never have a major illness or a disaster that requires you to be hospitalized or receive long term medical care. Yes, hospitals have payment plans, but when you are paying off several hundred thousand dollars in medical bills, a payment plan doesn't necessarily mean it's affordable.

Everyone has different preferences, but being insured is generally considered the safer option and many people consider the sense of security worth more than the insurance premiums, myself included.

You don't miss having insurance until you need it. My house, which has never flooded before, was devestated during Hurricane Irene and my husband and I lost nearly all of our posessions, two vehicles and the house is requiring thousands of dollars in renovations. We didn't have flood insurance. We didn't even think of having it until we really wished we did, and then it was too late. I seriously hope that this is not your story as well.

OCNRN63, RN · Sep 19, 2011

Her reaction was inappropriate, but I'm sure you understand you are playing Russian roulette. You never know what can happen to you. God forbid you get a serious illness that costs you tens of thousands of dollars in treatment. I wouldn't count on payment plans; some hospitals are OK with this, but you may get less cooperation with the physicians' offices. You could quickly find yourself way over your head in medical debt, and bankruptcy will no longer cover medical bills.

I've had a health issue recently, and my bills are getting close to $100K. A payment plan for that much debt? No way. And the bills are nowhere near finished.

Not everything can be handled at a "Quick-Care" or whatever they call them in your area.

In my mind, health insurance is an investment. Maybe you can get through life without ever really needing it, but heaven help you if you really need it and don't have it.

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2011

I'm glad it is working out for you right now. I am a PRN employee so I am also not offered health insurance through my employer. Have you ever looked into buying health insurance just for yourself? I bought into a HMO for just myself and it was $110/month. Now I have Blue Cross, Blue Shield and it's $90/month. There are cheap options like this out there and they are not based on income.

I know it's easy to see health insurance as money down the drain, but I remember my parents being uninsured when I was a kid and after an emergency, a trip to the ER, and a week in the hospital my parent's had a $12,000 hospital bill. Oh and you say payment plan, that would have been $650/month, not easy to swing with a family.

babyNP., APRN · Sep 19, 2011

Wow. Seriously.

It was inappropriate of her to remark upon that since you are at a place of business, but I'm a little shocked that you would risk that.

But, it's not my family...to each their own?

Bortaz, MSN, RN · Sep 19, 2011

Yes, hospitals have payment plans, but when you are paying off several hundred thousand dollars in medical bills, a payment plan doesn't necessarily mean it's affordable.

For example, the SF Giants fan that was beaten at Dodger Stadium on opening day. His bills now total over FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS.

How much is that a month, you reckon? Someone working in healthcare should definitely understand that most major illnesses/accidents cost far, far more than one can pay on a payment plan, and should also know that the likelihood of it becoming a reality far outweighs the little that most people pay for insurance. $1800/year? Come on, now.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9PNLGAG1.htm

But like someone said, it's not my family. I just hope you don't live to regret this decision.

RyanCarolinaBoy, ADN, BSN, MSN · Sep 19, 2011

Well as others have said, to each their own. But to me, the risk of NOT carrying insurance is much greater than the minimal cost increase of having to carry it. Insurance is one of those things in life that are just necessary to protect your way of life sometimes. For example, my father has been healthy his entire life. It wasn't until I was at his house a few years ago, and noticed a mole on his shoulder that sent him to a Dr. come to find out, he had met's melanoma, and required extensive lung and skin surgery along with chemo/radiation. Had he not had insurance, it would have drained my parents lifelong savings.

And I know this may sound harsh, but to knowingly forgo insurance when it is available is downright FOOLISH. but hey, if you're willing to risk your family and their way of life, it's a free country.

RainMom · Sep 19, 2011

I totally understand how you feel, optimist. There have been times on an off in the past where my family has not had insurance because of the expense. My husband lost his jobs (& our insurance) nearly five years ago. For a while, we carried our own with a super high deductible. My family has always been extremely healthy (knock on wood), rarely sick enough to go to the dr. When my son started having more frequent sore throats, I didn't even bother to give the insurance info b/c #1 - huge deductible we would never meet & #2 - the office charged less than half for cash out of pocket. I haven't been able to find a job yet after graduating this past spring, but I already know that if offered insurance, I'll choose the highest deductible I think we could afford in an emergency & then probably never give my info to anybody.

This Jenn RN · Sep 19, 2011

WHen I was in nursing school, we were required to have proof of health insurance. Just saying.....

bagladyrn, RN · Sep 19, 2011

My concern would be that you are not taking the financial risk alone. If you should develop a serious condition at any point (injury or illness) not only would you be affected by the financial burden so would your husband and your child. Would you really want to see your child living in poverty because of your lack of insurance?

Isabelle49 · Sep 19, 2011

I would be willing to bet that the majority of nurses in the US do not have health insurance.

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Sep 19, 2011

I visited a Dermatologist today to check out a painful spot that had developed on my lip. It came up in conversation with his assisstant that I was a nurse. She glanced at my chart and remarked "I see you dont have insurance, and you're a nurse? How can that be? Surely you realize how important insurance is." My response "I dont buy into the insurance business and Im prepared to take the finacial risks that that may entail". She rolled her eyes and went on about her business. This is not the first time Ive caught flack for being a nurse and not having medical insurance, as if my involvement in the healthcare field should somehow guarantee that I be excluded from the millions of Americans living without health insurance.
The truth is, my employer does not offer coverage for part-time employees (which I choose to be due to family obligations). I could be added on to my husbands work policy on which he carries himself and our daughter but at a price of over $700 a month (heck he would practically be working for just insurance!). I could get my own policy to the tune of $150 a month and pay outrageous copays for every visit and Rx. But Ive found that barring any major emergency/Dx that Im coming out much better NOT having insurance. The dermatologist gave me a discount for paying cash so my bill was only $60 (an insurance copay would have been $70). When I get sick I go to urgent care where they also give cash discounts, I pay $86 whereas hubby and baby have an urgent care copay of $200. I go to the health dept for my yearly GYN visit and BC pills to the tune of $90 (as based on my income) whereas when I had insurance I paid $35 per visit plus $25 a month for Rx. Im saving a ton of money not being insured. Now I know that if anything major comes up Ill have a ton of bills to pay out of pocket, but thats why they make payment plans. I just cant justify paying $1800 a year for a healthcare discount program (i.e. Insurance)
And just because Im a nurse does not mean I should have to have insurance!

You're right, it doesn't. BUT.

While I don't agree with the reaction of the assistant, but I totally agree with where s/he is coming from. Working healthcare, we've ALL seen, numerous times, how devastating injuries and illnesses can happen without warning, and how many people don't have insurance. The reason she was surprised was because as HCP's, we know more and see more than the average layperson.

Do you have car insurance? Home or renter's insurance? It's all the same concept. I may not have been in a car accident in years (KNOCK ON WOOD, now that I said that!), but that doesn't mean I will take the risk of not having my car insured. Medical bills add up much more quickly than repair costs, too. Yes, for the day to day things I can see your point, but it's the NON day to day things that you just simply have to be prepared for. I am currently unemployed and single (so, no option of a hubby's health plan), and money is TIGHT, but I do still pay for a mini medical plan (which includes some vision, dental, and Rx coverage). It may not cover as much as my previous employer's plan, but it does help. COBRA was RIDICULOUSLY expensive (to keep it, I would have been paying over 700 BUCKS month, he!! no), but I needed something. This was a viable option for me.

I hope your gamble pays off, for your sake, but it's not a gamble I would take.