I have a new piece at Lew Rockwell, with some tips for people who might be interested in doing without health insurance for a couple of years:
(Legal Disclaimer:
I am not a medical or legal expert and anything written in the article should not be construed as medical or legal advice. Readers should consult their own physician and attorney before making a decision about their insurance or about self-medication.
I am not in anyway responsible for any harm or injury that might come to a reader as a result of reading this article or from following therapies mentioned in it.
Neither I nor any publisher of this piece on a website or in print form, is in any way liable for any injury or harm sustained from following any recommendation whatsoever in this article (or any recommendation arising from it) in this country, or any other, now, or in the future).
“I stopped carrying health insurance over five years ago for many reasons that I won’t get into here. It wasn’t a big decision, because I’d done without it for a couple of years when I was between jobs
In any case, when I had it, it was never much use. I was misdiagnosed on a couple of things and ended up having to treat myself. I got to resenting the way some doctors never really listened. I bridled at having my questions treated like the uninformed babble of a simpleton.
And since I had to pay most of the bill for “maintenance” items like vision and dentistry anyway, dropping insurance altogether seemed like the logical thing to do.
That doesn’t mean it will work for you, though. Especially if you have an on-going illness, be sure to do your own due diligence.
Still, if you’re a relatively healthy person, if you’re cash-strapped or need to pay off a debt, or if you want to strike out in a new direction on your own, you might find my tips useful in helping you go insurance-free for a couple of years.
Or even longer.
You’ll worry less about doing without those “bennies” you’ve got used to for so long. And the less worried you are over going it alone, the more you’ll be able to stand up to the big lie of modern life – that people need the government to survive.
(no subject)
From: Saeed K.
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 8:08 PM
To: lrajiva@hotmail.com
Excellent article.Have you ever used black seed (nigella sativa)?
Saeed Khan
No Health Insurance?
From: David S.
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 8:07 PM
To:
Dear Lila:
I enjoyed your article on getting by without health insurance. I’m going to send it to my clients and others. I personally have never had health insurance and I’m 46 years old. I was disappointed that you did not mention homeopathy as it is a profound healing art people should no about. If you haven’t taken a close look at it, feel free to use my web site to start your research. http://www.homeopathytexas.com
Thanks
David Shapley, Classical Homeopath
LR article
From: DoJohnson@BealService.com
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 7:17 PM
Lila –
I generally agree with the gist of your article, but the problem is that you need health insurance for the times when you break your leg, get in a horrific car accident, get an acute disease, etc. Unfortunately, there aren’t affordable health insurance plans that provide coverage for severe trauma or injury only.
Doug
Health text recommendations?
From: Daniel H.
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 6:54 PM
To:
Hello Ms. Rajiva,
I enjoyed your recent article “Living Without Health Insurance” on LRC, and I wanted to ask you about obtaining and educating oneself with anatomy, physiology, and medical/first-aid texts. Are there any specific books that you would recommend? I am a 22-year-old student with a decent level of scientific literacy, if that factors into your consideration. Thank you for you time.
Daniel Hauer
Rockwell article?
From: Keith S
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 5:30 PM
Great article…check out my company’s new website surgerycenterok.com…package pricing for folks without insurance or high deductible policies..an outpatient surgery center inspired by the Austrian tradition.
Cordially,
G. Keith Smith, M.D.
Oklahoma City
Thanks
From: Dave C
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 5:01 PM
Lila,
Thanks for the informative article.
We practice many of your suggestions.
It is difficult at first, but your body responds.
regards,
Dave & Katherine
Re: Living Without Health Insurance
From: Bryan M
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 4:38 PM
“Go out of your way to make friends with svelte young things (this is advice to women, not men).”
Aw, dang!
Peace, freedom, justice and prosperity,
Bryan M.
NOTICE: Barack Obama has not rescinded George W. Bush’s
Executive Orders allowing the National Security Agency to read
this message and all other e-mail you receive or send without any
warning, warrant or notice. Bush ordered this to be done without
any legislative or judicial oversight.
No health insurance/freedom from…
From: Phil
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 4:25 PM
To:
Hi – thank you for your “alernative” point of view. I wanted to point out how allopaths exert a virtual monopoly on health care. My Indian born and trained wife besides being an RN is also a Doctor of Homepathy and her ex continues to operate a successful clinic in Pakistan (oops, did I say Pakistan? My wife is Indian in origin and culture – not her fault England decided to create an aditional country – and has left off answering “Pakistan” to inquiring folks because of people’s assumptions and reactions). Anyway, due to big brother control of health care here, she can neither practice as an RN (without jumping through many, many hoops and practically repeating nursing school) or treat anyone as a homeopathic practitioner. The State of Georgia and most other States do not even recognize Homeopathy as a legitimate treatment alternative although I understand there is a yearly push in the legislatures to do so. With so many without health insurance,
Homeopathy could be an affordable altternative for a majority of cases which wind up clogging emergency rooms which could and should be reserved for serious trauma cases. I think it is “one helluva note” that my wife, who has experience ranging from birthing hundreds of babies to treating gun shot wounds, is not allowed to offer aid to people and in turn they go sans treatment altogether. And in my own present case, I could retire from my job except I cannot presently afford the health insurance premium, a premium which is set the same for a couple as for families of 8 – we’re of the age where we will not be having children, so this “family” premium is totally unfair and illogical. Perhaps I should follow your advice, but unfortunately, I am now of the age where I may have to rely more and more on health care – not that I’ve darkened the doctor’s door for years now. Well, this is probably more of a vent than I intended, but thanks for your article
– those in their younger years and healthier would do well to listen and save themselves a lot of money and should press their representatives (so called)to “decriminalize” homeopathy and other alternative medical treatments.
Phil
Living Without Health Insurance
From: Kenneth R
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 3:35 PM
Lila,
In Massachusetts there is an additional cost of going without approved
health insurance. Here health insurance is “mandatory” and the state
imposes a substantial fine if you don’t have it. Of course, if you
qualify you can get “free” health insurance provided by those of us
who pay taxes. That is until the system goes bust. Another alternative
is to apply for a religious exemption to escape the maw of the nanny
state.
I hope all goes well with you in your state of insurancelessness.
–Kenneth R.
Isn’t it worth a try?
From: Tom P
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 2:50 PM
Are you a moron? I had open heart surgery in 2005. It cost $115,000.00
Isn’t it worth a try is one of the most irresponsible things I’ve seen. Perhaps you should be in the obama administration.
Tom P
living without health care
From: Roseanne S
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 2:47 PM
Even if you eat right and do all the right things a medical emergency
can strike you as well as any one else. A lot of illnesses are not
lifestyle related.
A horror story: I had an acquaintance, a technicl writer, who decided
not to purchase COBRA when she got laid off. She got cancer, had to
take only what was offered as charity care, was misdiagnosed, treated
for the wrong kind of cancer, and died.
On the other hand, my two small kids and I lived without health care
for a few years when I didn’t have a job that provided it and I could
not buy an individual plan. So, it’s possible.
But it’s a risk.
Regards,
Roseanne S
“Serving Atlanta’s & the Southeast’s Flooring needs for over 20 years
superconscious?
From: George S
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 1:19 PM
Hi Lila,
I enjoyed and benefited from your article about living without insurance. In it, you mention listening to your superconscious. Is this a higher self kind of thing or what?
Thanks,
George Steffner
Atlanta, GA
One added recommendation regarding your LRC column
From: David C
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 1:17 PM
Dear Ms. Rajiva,
I enjoyed your column giving tips on going without health insurance; I have one addition to it, however.
I was recently laid off from my job selling pharmaceuticals, specifically an antibiotic. This left me sensitive to even small errors or omissions regarding them (you’d be shocked how often doctors and nurses err with them).
If someone is going to acquire their own stash of antibiotics, he or she absolutely must read, on line, the full prescribing instructions or at least the “information for patients” for any product. The two you mentioned, doxy and cipro, specifically should not be used for children (especially doxy, it permanently stains the child’s permanent teeth a dark gray and leads to a lifetime of regret).
In addition, one antibiotic is not the same as another. Some treat common urinary tract infections but are poor or useless at treating respiratory infections (Cipro is a wonderful poster child for this). You also may have unintentionally conflated “making yourself a natural antibiotic” with treatment for viruses (cold and flu), when in truth antibiotics don’t treat viral infections. You may well be 100% up on this, but the way you constructed that paragraph may have added to a high background level of confusion about this issue.
Otherwise, as I said, I enjoyed your column and gained useful insights.
Best wishes,
David
PS: I spent the last 12 years having tens of thousands of dollars worth of the most useful broad spectrum antibiotic on the planet, Levaquin, stored as samples at my house. During that entire time I took it twice (with a prescription, of course…to do otherwise is a violation of Federal Law and a really big No-No). My point is that like you, I do not consider any antibiotic to be a benign drug. All of them upset the body’s normal (and necessary, protective) bacterial microflora and can lead to all sorts of potential problems. For this reason one should never take them unless there is ample reason to suspect that the infectious agent causing one’s disease is 1) bacterial and 2) likely to be susceptible to the antibiotic in question. Addressing these two issues is the central challenge of treating infectious disease and a really good reason people might serve themselves best by finding an expert (allopath or otherwise) to assist in making such a determination. We’re not talking about something simple, like flipping a light switch. [As an aside, your tips on staying healthy in the first place are more important than any other consideration. It’s shocking how little regard most people seem to give proper nutrition, exercise, and otherwise preventing “breakdowns.”]
no health insurance
From: Dorris
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 1:04 PM
Dear Lila Rajiva;
I just finished reading your article on “Living Without Health Insurance”. Thank you, it was very educational and I have emailed it to several of my friends.
I have been without health insurance several times in my life time, usually due to financial difficulties, but now have been without insurance for almost 7 years by choice. When I did have it, either through my former spouse or through my employer, I never used it. The very few times that I did get sick I’ve always treated myself with natural methods or mental visualization. The same goes with my pets and most of the times even with my children when they were young and still lived at home.
Unfortunately, I have found that most people are too lazy to do the research to treat themselves, and also too afraid.
I am hoping that your article will help some of my friends to at least give it a try while they still have insurance to back them up. Most of them have complained about the high cost of insurance and not really being helped by many doctors.
Thank you again.
Dorris B
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people there is Liberty”
~~Thomas Jefferson
health
From: Wayne
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 12:39 PM
Nice article but it has a couple of problems. I spent years in the 3rd world training troops and propping up dictators for my uncle Sam. I noticed a problem with food and water.
Soldiers in all the countries had no field rations and ate like they were used to -eating carbs and little or no meat. They were strong for a few days then would become weak and were unable to keep up, we would have to slow down the movement for them. We had a 3000 calorie ration with real meat in it and can move day after day carrying weapons and would walk the locals in the ground.
Meat eaters are the predators of this world-not carb eaters and meat eaters have to run down their food, can fight better, and are stronger.
Water is so important that we can die in one day in the desert and can only live 2 or 3 days in a temperate climate without it. I remember the beer drinkers going all day in Central America only with a gallon of water and the non-beer drinkers hitting the ground after a day in the mountains. I drank a six pak of beer a night, 3 or 4 cups of coffee each morning and and had no problems.
This crap put out by the so-called experts is wrong! Beer, coffee, and tea is 99% water and will not hurt you. Meat has 10 times the calories per pound than rice or vegetables and we could live off meat for years and survive but you become so weak with only a carb diet that the meat can work or run rings around you.
Of course sitting at a desk in an air conditioned office means you can go to lunch and have a latté and a tofu salad and get away with it. Tofu is bean curd and a substitute for meat.
Your health advise is good and many of the things you wrote I follow.
WWR http://wwrutland.wordpress.com
Health w/o insurance
From: david
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 5:58 AM
Lila,
Excellent article. You’ve obviously devoted a fair amount of time, attention and effort to staying healthy. I hope many take what you’ve written seriously.
My personal testimonial–I’ll be 60 in June, and the past few years I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t want to be dependent on the medical establishment my last couple of decades. Plus, my dad had bypass surgery at age 65, and several uncles developed cardiovascular problems in their later years. Some of them died from same, as early as age 60. So I decided to minimize my risk. Accordingly, I’ve been transitioning into a vegan diet. For the past six months or so, I’ve been almost entirely vegan, with a few “off the wagon” days.
I feel tremendous. I really don’t give a rip what people think of my eating habits. I feel too good to care, and besides, I’m too old now to care much what others think! 🙂 I’m joining the local vegan scene, which admittedly puts me in contact with a lot of people who are wildly at variance with me philosophically, but that makes it interesting.
It’s astonishing how huge most Americans look to me. I first noticed this phenomenon getting off the plane in the US after being overseas for an extended period. The first look around the airport reminded me of the man Jesus healed of blindness in two stages: “I see men like trees walking around”.
I recently lost my health insurance because of being laid off. I’m starting my own business as a piano tuner/technician, which I should have done years ago anyway, but just needed the push of unemployment. Don’t need no stinking health insurance!
Read what Drs. John MacDougall, Colin Campbell, and Caldwell Esselsteyn, among others, have to say about veganism, or, in their words, a “whole-foods, plant-based diet”. Food for thought (pun intended)! Hope this is helpful.
Blessings, David
Antimicrobials
From: Guy
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 5:57 AM
In ‘Living Without Health Insurance’ you wrote, “Learn how to make yourself a natural antibiotic and use that when you get a bad cold or flu.” However, cold/flu are viral infections, so one needs a natural antiVIRAL — an antibiotic will cause harm by killing the good bacteria in your gut while giving no benefit in these cases. Also (just FYI on antibiotic use; you’ll have to verify this yourself as I can’t recall the reference), about 95% of sinus infections are fungal, so you need a natural antiFUNGAL for a sinus infection, not an antibiotic. [Consider these natural antimicrobials: grapeFRUIT seed extract, oregano oil, olive leaf extract, and for external use: neem oil, honey, sugar (powder is more convenient), and colloidal silver (good-bye MRSA).]
Hope this is useful without wasting too much of your time,
Guy S
Guy –
thanks, yes. I was writing for a general audience and didn’t want to go into too much detail.
Antivirals and antibiotics are different.
Thanks for the tips about anti-microbials.
David – Vegan is something I’ve never really done for a long time but I always felt better when I did.
Good luck with piano tuning – it’s good business.
Wayne – I was mostly addressing people who eat far too much meat…and yes, I do think you’d have to eat a very balanced and rich diet to get the same nutrients from vegetarian food. But I think it can be done. I do differ from you on sodas and coffee though.
Dorris – I hope your friends will find my tips useful. And I hope they’ll take note of the other tips from some of the letter writers on this post.
David C. –
Yes I wasn’t clear in the article about antibiotics. I know doxy is bad for the teeth of children, having seen the effects on friends. Thanks for the input, appreciate it.
George –
Some people call it conscience, others call it higher self…I just wanted to differentiate it from one’s compulsions and instincts.
Roseanne –
This advice isn’t for everyone, and yes, anyone could fall seriously ill at any time. However, you’d still have to pay a large deductible, wouldn’t you? Someone else has posted on some insurance alternatives – please check the comments above
Tony –
I’m sorry you needed open heart surgery – but most people don’t and don’t need to live in fear that they might. Even so, $115,000 is on the high side. You can get the same quality of surgery in Malaysia or India for tens of thousands less – for about as much as your deductible, in some cases.
I believe my advice was cautiously and responsibly given. If you live a healthy life, you won’t need open heart surgery in most cases. Also – I didn’t vote for Obama. I voted for Ron Paul.
Kenneth –
Thanks for your kind wishes. I got sick of paying insurance and never using it, while people who didn’t and lived reckless lives, misused it. That, and the invasion of privacy is why I steer clear of the establishment medicine nowadays.
Phil – you are exactly the person I have in mind. You’d do well to consider moving to another country where your wife could practice freely and where your health insurance wouldn’t cost you as much because there wouldn’t be so many people abusing it. And yes, one solution is to include alternative health practitioners in your options. Good luck to you and your wife.
Bryan – I take it back. svelte young things will improve your health too.
Dave and Katherine – Thanks for your response. Appreciate it.
Keith – much appreciate the link and will pass it on.
Tim – thanks so much for the kind words. Feel free to stop by the blog and join our discussions.
Daniel – I hesitate to give advice about medical texts to a medical student. Your peers and teachers could give you tips. Then hunt them up on ebay. I used to read a book by Ganong on Physiology, but it’s probably old by now.
Doug –
Someone has posted an insurance alternative among the comments. Check it out. Plus, I do advise upping your PIP coverage on your car and making arrangements for possible serious hospitalization. Some insurance companies now cover foreign treatment.
You can set casts for bones and stop bleeding on your own quite easily.
Brain surgery is a different thing.
David S. –
I couldn’t mention everything. Homeopathy is an art in its own right and though I know little about it probably offers a lot. Glad to post anything you send.
Saeed – thanks. I haven’t tried black seed. Will check it out.
Lila
From: dave e
Sent: Tue 4/28/09 12:40 AM
To:
Forsaking health insurance…
It works out okay if you don’t have any money. People without money get taken care of in our system. Taking care of ones own health habits, and thinking holisticly, is absolutely essential. However, it is the prospect of a car accident that will mess you up if you have no insurance and are worth anything. You will lose what you have unless it is in a trust or LLC. High deductible catostraphic insurance is the only thing to have just in case of such an accident. Even then it is tempting to test fate and go without!
Dave
Hi David –
When a third party pays, then naturally there are going to be people free loading. That’s one reason to drop out.
I do suggest raising PIP coverage and getting bare -bones coverage to deal with a catastrophe.
Someone has posted an alternative insurance plan you might want to check out.
In other countries, people live without health insurance. They’re surviving.
about your article, Living Without Health Insurance
From: Alissa
Sent: Tue 4/28/09 3:58 AM
To:
Hi,
I just read your article on Lewrockwell.com and just wanted to thank you for an important article. I am in almost total agreement with everything you say and suggest with only one addendum: some ailments should be dealt with rapidly via antibiotics. The tenets you set forward are ones I live by and have enjoyed good health as a result, including your suggestions about cider vinegar, garlic, onions, turmeric, etc (excellent advice!). The worst problem I had in two years of no health insurance was a UTI that morphed into a full blown kidney infection with a 105 temperature. I did try to deal with it along the way, but by the time I was very fevered, it was too late to deal with the infection via roots, herbs, alternative therapies, etc. I think some people are able to deal with dire infections/illnesses alternatively if they have a lot of support and knowledge, but I was not able to do so. Well, I just wanted to thank you for your article – I will be sending it to my family and friends.
Regards, Alissa
without health ins
From: Cathy Cuthbert
Sent: Tue 4/28/09 2:52 AM
To:
Dear Lila,
Read your article on Lew Rockwell. I have to agree with you that insurance is for the birds if you are generally healthy. We have the bare minimum only because we have children. As soon as they are on their own, the insurance goes…
Thought you’d like to know that it is possible to get antibiotics in the US very cheaply and legally with no prescription. Go to any pet store where they sell items for fish tanks. You will find several types of antibiotics for sale including ampicillin, penicillin, erythromyicin and my memory is failing me here, but you get the picture. People put these tablets in their tanks to prevent bacterial infection of their fish. This is the same stuff that is made for humans. Just go online and find out what the dosage is and you have saved yourself a lot of money. We have used it for our pet cats, as well.
Of course, I strongly urge not to use antibiotics. Echinacea, goldenseal, vitamins c, d and a are much better choices. If you are going to take them, take probiotics afterward in either the supplement form or the cheaper and probably healthier version from fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, kim chi, kefir, kombucha, etc.
Thanks again for your excellent article. Regards,
Cathy Cuthbert
Alliance for the Separation of School and State
http://www.schoolandstate.org
The Advocates for Self Government
http://www.TheAdvocates.org
Hi Alissa, Cathy –
Thanks very much for your response.
I’m glad to get the tips.
I didn’t know about pet medicine and will be happy to post the links for others.
I do believe a lot of people are simply terrified of taking responsibility for their own health.
That’s the end result of the institutionalization of health care – worse general health.
Thanks again.
Lila Rajiva
Living Without Health Insurance?
From: Jack
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 11:10 PM
To:
Do you think we’ll get through the Obama administration with this even being an option? I doubt it.
I went without insurance for a couple of years when the premiums for just me and my adopted granddaughter went up to $750/month. I did the math and figured the odds of needing $10,000 worth of medical care to offset the premiums was pretty slim since I was in good health and so was my granddaughter. My worse fear was my granddaughter would have some kind of accident and end up in the emergency room and this actually happened when she broke her arm on a playground. Total cost was about $3k so I was still $7k ahead.
But like I said, Obama is set on solving the “crisis” of I million uninsured so if he’s really going to do that he’ll have to make those uninsured who want to stay that way get some insurance. I suspect we’ll be seeing that soon enough.
One thing I wonder about is what other things will be mandatory. I’m turning 60 next month and now that I have health insurance my doctor considers that being over 55 is a serious health issue all by itself. He wants me to take cholesterol medicine and go see 4 different specialists so that I can be “closely monitored” for a bevy of things. I’m not doing any of this, and as a matter of fact I’m getting ready to fire him before he fires me like all the others have done recently. I wonder if I’ll be able to do that with universal health care though? I mean, if they can make me wear a seat belt for the common good of all humanity what is to stop them from making me take Lipitor and get annual checkups?
Jack
Living Without Health Insurance
From: Jonathan M.
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 10:45 PM
To:
Hi Lila,
I just read your article on LRC, and could not help but to agree with your post. I am not a big fan of the health insurance industry, I just feel like I am throwing money away. Granted, there is some instances that individuals may require it.
Also, I myself try to stick to a vegan/macro diet. IMHO, it’s better to prevent the need for health care rather than suffer the consequences later on.
Great article!
Sincerely,
Jonathan
Living Without Health Insurance
From: Linda m
Sent: Mon 4/27/09 10:35
Hi,
I have a HSA through Aetna. I don’t use mine too much either and I
get $125 every month from them tax free. So if I want to put more
into it I can.
I have used it to pay a bill I have each monht and for another one I
have, so it is nice to use it rather than my own money.
I have to pay $67 every pay, but I figure I get half of that back each
month.
Good article.
Great article!.
I wanted to let you know about this alternative, revolutionary treatment called Medical Biomagnetism based on the Magnetic Pairs Discovered by Dr. Isaac Goiz Duran MD, over 20 years ago.
It works with most if not all pathologies. And they are treated usually in one session more complicated ones can take up to 3 sessions.
No side effects or contraindications, easy and safe to apply and it’s INEXPENSIVE !
Great success in Germany, Spain, italy, Mexico, Chile, Ecuador and here in the USA are only a few practitioners.
If you are interested in finding more please feel free to contact me or visit my website.
This is a response to Tom P., who had open heart surgery (which cost $115k):
My boss had the same surgery in the early 90’s at the age of 61. It cost 40k, then. Afterward he did some research–nothing like a life-threatening condition and surgery to focus the mind! As a result of his research, he adopted a vegan diet. After several months on this diet, his treadmill tests and general cardiovascular state were those of a 30-year-old. His response naturally was great resentment against the medical establishment which failed to warn him of the dangers of the American diet and the simple expedient of avoiding animal products which can totally eliminate cardio problems. Seriously. No kidding. Check it out for yourself.
Based on his experience, I assure you that going vegan now for you would NOT be a case of “closing the barn door after the horses have escaped”.
To read more about Biomagnetism in english look for Biomagnetism USA
in spanish : biomagnetismoUSA
or search for Dr. Isaac Goiz Duran, for Biomagnetismo Medico and or The Magnetic Pairs.
there is a lot of info on the net but unfortunately it’s mostly in spanish or some in german.
In my site: biomagnetismusa I have translated some of this info into english.
This is not what we’ve known till now as Magnetic therapy, is very different.
Hi –
Thanks for the links.
Re open heart surgery. Medical tourism is something more and more people are engaging in. Australians fly to Malaysia and India for operations.
Americans go to Central America.
Perhaps if the insurance companies covered for foreign operations, they could lower their premiums.
But prevention is even better.
And the chances are, with good nutrition, one would never need something like open heart surgery
Lila
Superb Article!
From: Larry H
Sent: Thu 4/30/09 9:33 PM
To:
Thanks for the article. Great advice; you are as always amazing, and I admire your character. Keep it going.
Larry H.
Living Without Health Insurance_ Lila Rajiva?
From:
Sent: Wed 4/29/09 2:18 AM
To:
Re: Living Without Health Insurance By Lila Rajiva
http://www.lewrockwell.com/rajiva/rajiva17.html
Hi Lila,
Most of the suggestions you made are good and one should be living that way even if they have the health insurance. It is true that health insurance does not mean every thing; in fact, you pay at least that much to earn a privilege to pay even more if you need to use it. I was paying 5K and that was just the beginning before co-payments started for every visit and every test and procedure. Finally, it became too much and had to drop it all. Yes, some of the advice and treatment given at the hospital can bring more grief and frustration than comfort.
The problem starts if something happens that requires immediate and urgent attention. Even if you are able to walk into ER, you can still end up with a bill of $500 to 2,000 easily. However, if it requires some diagnostics (MRI, CT etc,) or prolonged treatment, surgery, hospitalization, the bill can jump to 10K, 20K and more in a blink. You can’t escape and, if you can’t pay, they will hunt you, go after salary, house or whatever you have until you are destroyed. In the past, as a last resort, people used to have such debts erased in bankruptcy but, now, even that has become difficult. The passage of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2005 has been a gift to the creditors but devastating to debtors/consumers. That is the most important reason why currently Banks, despite getting free financial bailout of trillions of dollars, are ruthlessly destroying consumers with high and higher interest rates and, in the process, they are silently supported by the U.S. government.
Anyway, if people can’t afford, there is not much they can do. It is disgraceful but a number of things in the U.S., including healthcare, cannot improve unless money is banned from the political process which is unlikely to happen. Unless health insurance and profitability is made illegal any prospect of meaningful reform are nil; Obama and the Congress are already in the pockets of finance/bank and insurance industry.
One way to reform is to treat and fund healthcare just the way National Defense is done; I have never heard anybody complaining about inadequate defense for his/her family or whether someone is allowed to keep a private army. Perhaps a small portion of taxes can go to healthcare fund so that everybody gets healthcare and no body is left out.
Closest, there are two single payers’ bills in the congress right now but Obama and other big shots don’t even want to talk about those because insurance industry has opposed it.
If you want to write to your members of Congress, here they are:
House: Congressman John Conyers’ single payer bill H.R. 676
and
Senate: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) new single-payer bill, S. 703, the American Health Security Act of 2009.
S
Living Without Health Insurance
From: jeff
Sent: Sun 5/03/09 11:16 PM
To:
Beautiful. Great advice.
Jeff Zervas, MD
It only goes to show where there’s will there’s a way. Keep on trying.