Homestead mailing list

[Lisa Perry <lkvp AT floydva.net>]

Gene GeRue wrote:

> That is true when buying beans and some basic products such as tofu. 
> When buying prepared foods the labeling often does not include source 
> unless it is clearly marked organic, and even then sometimes the 
> primary ingredients are organic but the others are not identified as 
> to source.

True.

> I have earlier noted that the money I save by not buying health 
> insurance is partly spent on buying organic foods.

I recall your statement, we do the same.  After last winter, the thought 
of having some protection through health insurance is more appealing.  
My broken arm last Feb. cost us nearly $3k after the final bill was 
paid, but even that wouldn't have met a high deductible of $5k.  The 
doctor took payments over the course of the year and was paid in full 
last month.  I was lucky though, it was a clean break and a simple 
fracture.  It could have been far worse.  The last time I checked, a 
high deductible policy would run us close to $375 per month, probably in 
the $400-$450 range now.  This was the first year that we spent over 
$300 on healthcare in nine years, so it's even harder to justify 
spending money we don't have on insurance.  I know it only takes one 
catastrophe--but even the high deductible policies are expensive.  Some 
months last year we could afford it, but haven't had any of those months 
this year.  I try not to think about it.