Aloha, Youser. I worked for a Fortune 500 company from 1997-2004. They had a good health insurance plan in which the premiums were low and my contribution was taken off the top so that I didn't pay income tax on that portion. During those years, I used it once for a check-up, once for a minor infection, and another time for something to do with my foot. All were unnecessary but since I had the plan, what the heck. Naturally, eye and tooth care, things that I could have used, were not included.
That aside, I'll address your issues line-by-line:
Again, I'm not going to pay thousands per year out of fear that some day I may have a bad accident. I view that as self-imposed extortion.
Concerning the terminal illness thing, I believe in the quality of life, not quantity. I watched my father slumped in a wheelchair for years, not knowing who he was or who any of his loved ones were. Very upsetting for all but the doomed who need their diapers changed, don't know which end is up, and can't even appreciate the love and emotional support coming from those who care. There is no dignity in that, and if I ever see myself heading in that direction, I'll mail a few letters, transfer my funds to my family, clean up any other loose ends, head out to sea in a small craft with essentials and have one heck of a farewell party for myself; maybe several. To put it another way, some people would prefer to go out with a bang rather than a wimper, and I'm one of them. And if it does go that way and the insurance company deems it suicide and refuses to pay, there would be no burial costs and I do have other funds for my family (some of which are savings due to my not spending it on health insurance).
If I get sick with an ear infection or any other pain I can't deal with, I'll go to a doctor and pay out of my pocket. Even if it's a thousand bucks, that would account for much less than a year's premium on health insurance and I'd still be way ahead of the game.
While on the subject of health insurance, I may have signed up if it were treated in the same light as car insurance. But high premiums are a result of others who run up the bills and I can't bring myself to deal with that sort of Socialism. Also, don't forget the "deductables" and other limits associated with health insurance.
quote:
Originally posted by Youser
C
Life insurance doesn't pay your hospital bills if you are in a bad accident and have to be laid up for months, and what about if you have a terminal illness for years and you are in constant need of care just to be comfortable. What do you do if you get sick, e.g. get an excrutiatingly painful ear infection that won't go away without antibiotics?
You may not be so lucky to die peacefully and quietly one day so your life insurance kicks in smoothly.
