We had another child in the church come down with cancer. We’re not a large church. we’re a typical country church. We raised thousands to help them defray costs incidental due to being 1.5 hours from hospital, down time from work, etc.
Our family experience is that intense cancer coverage is about a million bucks.
I’ve long believed that the existence of a big pot of insurance money drives up costs. Providers see that pot and charge based on its size and not on their actual expense.
Get rid of insurance altogether and I’m fairly certain costs will plummet.
When I was growing up, we didn't have insurance, we had savings. But then the tax rates were much lower especially on working people so they could afford to go to the doctor and pay for it themselves. For many years before I became an attorney, I didn't have any insurance and we paid for our health care ourselves. When I was a kid, the church had a fund (This was the LDS BTW) that helped defray costs for members (who paid their tithing) so that if you ran into some huge medical expense or other catastrophe you would receive help.
Frankly if insurance only covered major illnesses and expensive medications and tests, then the price of insurance would plummet and people would be a little less likely to go to the doctor and demand tests and drugs for every little ache and pain.
You are right. If nobody had insurance, then very few people would actually need it. Honestly if I had every penny I have paid for health insurance back, it would be about 20 times the money the insurance company paid my doctors and pharmacies. Right now I am in the position where one of the medications I take would cost more than my monthly premium. If I didn't have insurance, I sure as heck would not be taking that medicine. I'd be using an old generic equivalent.
I'm rambling now. I've got to hit the hay.