Market Farming

["Dave Lilligren" <dave AT lilligren.com>]

I would like to share another perspective on this subject...

We went without health insurance for over five years.  During that time, I
required some surgery for a farming accident, and my wife had several
hospital visits and tests.

The disadvantage of not having health insurance was that you pay a higher
rate for your care, as you are not part of a larger group that has
bargaining power.

But there were some advantages, for us, as well.  Everything still cost us
LESS than if we had been paying the exorbitant rates that insurance
companies charge (extort?) from self-employed people.

If you cannot afford your medical bill, but are still willing to pay on a
monthly basis, almost all hospitals will work with you.  At one time, we
were paying four different medical institutions $50 per month (with no
interest).  We are now down to one hospital at $50 per month.  This is
substantially less the $600 per month we would have had to pay for our
family's coverage.

Also, if you are willing to pay off a hospital bill, some administrators are
glad to negotiate to dispose of the balance.  If not, they still let you
make monthly payments, interest-free.

I agree with Liz's perspective.  Good health is our responsibility.  We have
a great health care system in the U.S. for dealing with injuries and
aggressively treating any number of maladies.  But this system does not do
well (nor was it designed to do well) in the area of preventive medicine.
That is our job.  We need to eat right, live right, and exercise.

Philosophically, many of us do not believe that it is the role of government
to be involved in universal health care.  When governments operate outside
the realm of their God-given duties, they usually make quite a mess of
things (the "war on poverty" is a classic example).

Oops - I had better get off my soap box!

Take care,

Dave Lilligren
Sandstone, MN

http://www.homegrownfarm.com