Health insurance should not be a privilege or a right, merely the right to availability regardless of work status.  All people who don't get insurance through work should be considered a "group" like how they group a company so they won't have to pay rediculous prices.  There need to be regulations on price gauging, though.

Austinka Oct. 14, 2008 at 1:35 PM

I so agree with you.

I have lost almost all my hearing in my left ear due to having no insurance through most of my 20's. I spent most of that time in a small debt trying to pay off hospital bills for when I desperately needed treatment but had no money. Even then the bare minimum was done for me because I had no insurance to cover it.
Now it seems the insurance I DO have isn't willing to provide me with the hearing aid I need because they consider it a pre-existing condition.

I just am frustrated that there really is no reason why I should be deaf. My condition was treatable but I was turned away because of a lack of insurance.

do11face Oct. 14, 2008 at 1:45 PM

I haven't been able to afford insurance since I was tossed of my dad's plan at 18.

nobakecheezcake Oct. 14, 2008 at 2:01 PM

I've never had it. I've been lucky not to have any serious illnesses or break a bone or anything. It sucks, but what can you do?

Jerbear_1974 Oct. 14, 2008 at 4:05 PM

In order for us to have a family plan policy it would cost almost $600/month.  Can't afford it.  My son is the only one that is insured.

angelhart322 Oct. 14, 2008 at 5:19 PM

Fortunately, my husband gets it through his job.  When we were in college, we each were covered under our parents' plan.  But in graduate school, we were on our own, and there sure wasn't any money for insurance.  We shopped at a warehouse grocery store, and only got new clothes as christmas and birthday gifts.  I'm glad the university had a good student health center, with free doctor visits and reduced prices on prescriptions! 

yarnjunkie Oct. 14, 2008 at 6:55 PM

Up until 8 years ago, I did have insurance, then I took my grandson on to raise and have to stay home with him. No insurance sucks. I have skin cancer that needs to be checked, but I cannot afford to. If anything happens to me, it is cheaper for me to die than to lose my house over medical bills and leave my family with nothing. Sad but true.

wearygram Oct. 14, 2008 at 7:22 PM

I had all 4 of my kids and didn't have heath ins. Thankfully I do now through my husband's employer. But, I've been there. We managed.

MemawBrie Oct. 14, 2008 at 7:25 PM

My son is currently the only one in my family who is insured, and that's just medicade.  It pays for his checkups and stuff, and for when he's sick, but that's about it.  My husband and I are uninsured.  And unfortunatly there's nothing I can do about it.  I can get insurence though work, but I can't afford it.  It'd be $240 every paycheck (get paid ever two weeks), to insure all three of us.

LokisMama Oct. 14, 2008 at 7:28 PM

I am currently without health insurance and looking for a second job so I can afford what my employers health plan will take out of my check every two weeks.  To top it off, I have pre-existing health issues, so I'm getting insurance that won't even cover what ails me.  Yes, it should be a right.  A HUMAN right.  Who is anyone to say someone else shouldn't have health coverage?  Everyone has the right to be healthy and cared for. 

PhatMommy Oct. 14, 2008 at 7:34 PM