I figure this could be an interesting question. I’m curious as to your age, in what country you live, and how you are insured (through spouse, parent, gov’t, whatever). Any other info is fine as well.
As for myself, I’m a 26 year old in the US who has been 100% uninsured since January of 2003.
I had been covered under my parents’ (dad’s) insurance while at college. When I left school in 2001 I had a few months of being uninsured until I got a full time job with benefits. Upon leaving that job, I entered the world of the uninsured.
Since then I’ve worked various temp jobs (currently going on 13 months with my current gig), none of which offered insurance.
I have not been to a doctor once in the time I’ve been uninsured, and fortunately haven’t really had much need for one. I did have an eye appointment and get glasses for the first time about a year ago, which was paid for as a gift from my dad.
There were times at first when I would get a little apprehensive about, say, playing soccer with friends or whatever; a hospital visit for a broken bone or two would be pretty unaffordable for me. At this point, though, I just don’t think about it.
Age: Mid 30s
Country: USA
Health Insurance: provided by employer
I did go without health insurance coverage for a spell last year. I was laid off from my job last March, when my wife was 4 months pregnant. Thankfully, there was a fallback we were able to take advantage of that provided free – if somewhat compromised – prenatal care, delivery, and post-natal care. The baby was also born “insured” by this same program … though he has since switched to my current plan.
I’m 29 and also living in the U.S. I am insured through a group plan with my employer. It’s pretty good insurance. My premiums come out of my paychecks so I don’t even miss it. My plan pays 100% of my annual wellness check-up as well as a yearly eye exam. As of this year, my insurance will also pay 100% of my prescriptions (both generic). It’s only a savings of about $10 per month, but it’s still really nice. We also have a new eyecare plan this year that we contribute about $2.50 a month to (my employer contributes the other half) and it covers our glasses/contacts. My husband is also 29 and is insured through his employer. His plan is very similar to mine.
33 year old male, U.S., fully insured through my wife’s insurance.
Funny thing is that my job also offers pretty decent insurance coverage as part of our benefits, so once upon a time I had double coverage. Twice as much insurance is better, right? Not so. Because my work’s plan has more/higher deductibles than my wife’s, it actually cost me more to have both insurance plans than it would to just be on my wife’s insurance. How messed up is that?
I’m 28 and I’ve been insured solidly for almost 6 years as part of my employers plan. My son and I both have the high in-network option for healthcare (Called the EPO plan by United Health) and they hit my check pre-tax for $260/mo. Ouch.
We also have a not-nearly-as-comprehensive dental plan that I rarely make use of an a vision plan that I’ve never used.
Female, 50, married, and insured through my husband’s employer. I could get it through mine, but his is better and cheaper. We have health, vision, and dental. I carry dental through my employer as well, because we had a lot of work and saved a ton of money that way.
My husband also has an independent life insurance policy.
Female, 61, married, insured through husband’s employer – medical, dental, vision, prescriptions, accident/disability, and life (for him only).
It’s about $250 a month, no co-pay for doctor visits or annual physicals, but we pay a share of the cost of lab work. I don’t know what we’d pay if one of us had to be hospitalized.
I’m a 45-year-old female living in the US, and I am covered under two health plans. My primary insurance is through my job and costs me nothing, and I am also covered under my husband’s insurance from his employer, which also costs us nothing. I also pay for family coverage for dental and vision through my employer.
I wish we had had the dental insurance a few years ago when my kids got braces; as it was it cost us about $5000 per kid, and they both had them put on at the same time. That was an expensive year, and the only time we’ve ever been able to claim medical deductions on the tax return.
38-year-old female in the US. Insured for health, dental, life and disability through my employer. We do pay a good amount toward insurance but a fraction of what it costs the employer.
35, married with two kids, living in Maryland. We have excellent health and life insurance - my husband sells it for uninsured-through-work and self-employed people. I don’t even pay deductibles when I take the kids to the doctor (or if I were to go myself). I don’t know the specifics of the plan, but we are insured out the wazoo.
Male 44 - Canada - 2 Kids
Way more insurance than probably necessary. Obviously Health Care is 100% covered through my tax dollars. On top of that I have dental, eye care, and 2X yearly income life insurance through work. Then I have my own private life insurance, mortgage insurance, contents insurance, and finally car insurance.
Likely because I’m a Canadian, my first reaction on readng the thread title was that you would be asking about life of house insurance. “Medical” is not my default frame of reference for insurance in the same way that “water” is not my default frame of reference for skiing.
Anyway, yes, in addition to the normal coverage that anyone in Saskatchewan has under medicare, through my employer I also have extended medical that includes dental, visual, prescription and long term disability as well as life insurance. The coverage is actually really good.
Male, 67 (for 10 more days). I’m under Medicare and, being retired military, that’s backed up by Tricare for Life. I pay $93. a month for Medicare part “B” and $9.00 max copay for prescriptions, or actual cost, whichever is less. All other medical is covered 100%. I pay about $15. a month for dental, which has varying copays, depending on the procedure. If I fill my prescriptions via mail order, I can get a 90 day supply for a single co-pay. Local pharmacies will only allow a 30 day supply. Routine eye exams are covered once every year or two, I forget which and other eye problems are covered as medical procedures.
Currently my meds. would cost me somewhere around $200. a month, if I had to pay out of pocket. My Dr. visits have been averaging about 6-7 times a year, w/ at least one lab test per visit. I have excellent coverage.
Insured through my own Limited Liability Co. (which used to be just me and a business partner, but now will be just me and my wife). Have been for the past 3 years; previously, I was insured through my employer.
I have good health coverage, but no dental or vision.
27 here, and crazy insured. I work at a life/disability insurance company, so I have more life/disability insurance than I’ll need, all of it free. They also supply free health insurance.
My house is insured and so is my mortgage. And both cars.