Health Insurance - is it Really Important?

A recent report by UC Berkeley Labor Researches shows that about half million Californians have been no health insurance since the recession.* The report also shows the current uninsured adults is about 6 million, compares to 5.5 million in December 2007.

When I look at those numbers, many questions are flooding in my mind. Is it health insurance really important? During the recession, more and more people struggle for their lives. In order to save their money for other life expenses, they chose to drop out from the health insurance.

Of course, there is no obligation to have a health insurance, but without it, I am sure you will become vulnerable. Also you will live under the fears because you always worry that you may get hurt or sick. I used to have California Government supported Medi-Cal health insurance, but I was forced to drop out about three years ago for unknown reasons. Then I lived without any health insurance for almost three years, I was just thinking that if I take care myself better, and prevent any sickness, I don't need any health insurance. But an unexpected incident happened last year has completely changed my thoughts.

On September 19, 2008, at around 11:30 am, I got out from the San Francisco Shopping Center after I browsed at something I wished to buy in there, at the moment I stepped out to the sidewalk adjacent to the shopping center, my horrible experience began. A crazy white male approached from somewhere near Powell Street BART Station Exit to me, he looks like a homeless person, and then the crazy man yelled at me. I didn't even understand what he yelled. That crazy man then punched my glasses with his closed fist, and he punched me so hardly, my glasses broke immediately and fell on the street. Not only were my glasses broken, but also my left eye just above the eyelid was cut by the broken glasses, and bled... You may know that the San Francisco Shopping Center and the surrounding areas are one of tourists' hot spots in the city, so lots of people, residents and tourists witnessed the incident. Many nice walk-by people, security guards from the shopping center, and street merchant gave me some basic treatment on my wound and helped me to call an ambulance. A Mandarin speaking street merchant gave me her chair to rest, and then a security guard from the shopping center gave me a bag of ice to heal my wound. All of them were trying to make me feel better; what I could do at that time is keep calm, don't be panic. A few minutes later, police and ambulance arrived, a police officer asked me some questions about the incident, and then I was sent to the Chinese Hospital for further treatment, about half an hour later, I was released from the hospital.

About two weeks after the incident, the hospital sent me a medical bill for about 300 dollars, as I didn't have any health insurance. I really could not afford for that medical bill, so I tried to call the hospital to see if I could be exempted. That medical bill was really incredible! I still remembered my treatment that day was only a little amount of ointment, and that cost me 300 dollars! Is the hospital's ointment made with gold? Anyway, I called the hospital, I tried to explain the difficulties to pay the bill, but the woman who answered the phone thought I won't pay the bill, and said: "You have to pay the bill no matter what!" Oh my god! I didn't say not paying it, but I just asked about any available options to pay, like installments. Truthfully, I didn't want to owe your hospital anything, if I could afford, I would rather pay you immediately!

My good friend pay the medical bill for me about weeks after I called the hospital. That was such a horrible experience; I also learned that I can't live without health insurance after the incident, health insurance is very important for everyone live in the U.S., especially for many unexpected incidents. I decided to sign up for an affordable health insurance plan about two months ago and my policy was taking effect a few days ago.

Even though I am not sure that I will be assaulted again in the future, I should feel much better and not living in fears as I have health insurance.

Are you still thinking health insurance is unnecessary?

* Press Release on April 1, 2009, "As Congress debates health care reform proposals in President Obama's budget, new report documents the impact on health coverage of NOT implementing health-care reform", UC Berkeley Labor Center. You can download the full report here.