[Polycarp]

Health costs are another matter if all your children aren't healthy and if you don't have insurance.

We have not had health insurance for years.

[Aliska]

We have not had health insurance for years.

I didn't either and it is scary if you have any assets. One hospital bill could wipe you out and you might never get back on your feet.

I'll bet you pray a lot that you won't have something you can't pay for.

[Conservative til I die]

We have not had health insurance for years.

YMMV, but that's a dangerous game to play. I've always relied on employer provided coverage, and when I got laid off last July, I figured I'd just pick up coverage at my next job for the usual $60-100 a month. My thought was, I'm a young, healthy, virile male, I'll get by for a few months. Then I got the lump on my neck. Five doctor's visits, one visit to a specialist, and one CT scan later, I was out $1500 cash, and that was after they cut me a break since I was paying cash. Soon after I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Thank the Lord that I had a new job and my insurance kicked in retroactively a week before my official diagnosis. I also thank the Lord for my doctors doing what they could to fudge and hold off the results so that the insurance company couldn't deny me coverage because of my "pre-existing condition."

$70,000 of medical treatment later ($69,000 or so paid for by my insurer) and I'm doing OK, but I've learned my lesson. You never know when you're gonna get hit with something out of nowhere. And you never know when the insurance companies will be complete pricks and withold coverage from you.