Whither we get health insurance for 2017?

[meierlde]

I recall an interview on NPR with the director of a hospital in Miami (Baptist, I think) and he affirmed they applied income tests before lowering rates. Need had to be proven, and the cutoff was pretty low - 2X the poverty rate or somewhere in that range.

Of course if you have no assets or at least no unprotected ones after a big medical bill there is always bankruptcy which does extinguish medical bills. That is the big club you have over the medical providers to reduce the bill, in that something is better than nothing.

 

[explanade]

Yeah so for ER people, it's not just health insurance, it's savings insurance as well.

 

[aja8888]

Never thought I would look forward to the day wife and I each turn 65. What a screwed up system we've cobbled together.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

Yep, it's the new Holy Grail of insurance. Enjoy it while it is still available and doctors still accept it, which is becoming less and less.

 

[pb4uski]

Yeah so for ER people, it's not just health insurance, it's savings insurance as well.

Exactly! Two main reasons to carry health insurance... 1) Prevent financial ruin in the event of a serious illness or disease and 2) Gain access to negotiated rates with medical care providers.

Ditto for health insurance on your kids... I insist they carry health insurance so I don't get put into a spot of paying a big bill to get them the care that they need... I would pay for it if I needed to... but don't tell them.