Arnaud Duriex, a freelance web designer recently caught a flight all the way back to France. This was not because he was missing home, but because he had a tooth ache!
A lot of people find that it is much more cost effective to travel abroad to get medical treatments rather than pay for costly health insurance in America.
Arnaud got a crown fixed on his teeth for 500$. And he says that it would have cost him at least 2000$ to get the same treatment done in the United States. And now even when you factor in the plane ticket cost, it does not cost more than the local dentist. He says that he usually puts off all medical check ups for during his trip to France. And considering that he visits his home country every year, it is pretty easy for him to take care of all his medical needs.
Its not just him, a lot of people in the US manage to get away without insurance by adopting novel strategies like this. International students are a class apart, particularly those from Asia. Medical care in Asia costs just a fraction of the co pay that you will have to pay your doctor in America! So these kids just carry a box of medicines and wait around till they get home for their check ups. It’s unfortunate that medical care is so expensive, but that’s just how it is in a free market society.
For many younger people who are not insured, it’s the good health they enjoy that keeps them going. But once people start reaching their early 30’s, they start feeling the pinch. That’s when there is a discernible spike in the proportion of the population which faces some or the other chronic problem. C.J.Holm is a woman in her mid 40’s who is now looking for a job which will offer her health care benefits until her catering job takes off to give her sufficient money to cover her medical expenses. She managed to beat ovarian cancer once, but couldn’t afford to go for regular check ups and is now feeling guilty about it.
Nancy Twigg is an author who tries to look up symptoms and cures online or in books instead of visiting the doctor. She is also fortunate enough to have a few nurses and pharmacists as friends and they do manage to get her a few off the counter medicines from time to time.
Other people just try to get through their ailment without any medical treatment. And in recent times people have started using natural remedies instead of traditional allopathic or western medicine. But it’s okay to bet against yourself when you are young, but it’s another thing to do it when you grow older. You have to be pragmatic and decide what is more important to you, a few hundred to spend on a vacation every year or the ability to see the smile on your grandchildren’s faces.
Don’t try to save money by skimping on insurance – compare insurance quotes and find a policy you can afford.