Ame®icano
Platinum Member
- Jul 8, 2008
- 24,750
- 7,531
What you're suggesting makes sense -- provided you never have a major medical expense.[...]
For broken bones, there used to be bonesetters. Now, it costs $4,000 to treat a broken arm. Even still, that's cheaper than insurance. I have no insurance. I could probably break an arm every year and save money by opting out of insurance.
[...]
E.g., I resented paying the monthly fee for GHI & Blue Shield coverage back in 1997. But when a stomach ache turned out to be colon cancer it ended up costing $117,000 for surgery, etc.
I got away with a $1,200 co-payment. If I didn't have the insurance I would have ended up either paying that big bill or losing my house.
In 2003 I turned up with prostate cancer. There went another $92,000 treatment (surgery & radiation), but by then I was on Medicare.
Now I'm dealing with some kind of lumbar agony which as yet is undiagnosed. But I've already started racking up specialist bills and I'm scheduled for an MRI next week (God bless Medicare). So what you're really talking about is a big financial risk which I am very glad I didn't take.
Those monthly insurance payments hurt -- but all it takes is one big medical problem to financially ruin you if you don't have the insurance. So until the U.S. adopts universal federal health care the medical industry and the insurance companies are calling the shots.
So then, what happens when the breadwinner is the one that gets sick, and, since he is to sick to work, can't pay the mortgage and other bills?
Do you also support an income while you are sick? I mean, its not fair if you lose your house when you are sick, is it?
Mark
First, don't buy something you can't really afford. Second, if you do, have a plan B such as second income, life insurance etc.
I doubt most breadwinners can afford to be off work for any length of time. Regardless of any plan.
Mark
Why not? If someone is able to start the family and have kids, then should be able to support them.