So true. Insurance DOES NOT EQUAL care. Everyone needs to inform himself as to health. There is enough information online to get the general outlines of illness, symptoms, procedures. Etc. There are ways to seek out preferred medical professionals, including asking around (including online). I bet that even here on FR if someone were in a desperate situation they could pop up a vanity of Does Anyone a Know a Great Oral Surgeon in Ohio, and people would offer suggestions. So you can seek out where, how much, what might I have, and as long as you don’t go nuts thinking every bump is cancer, you are helping with your own CARE with online research.
I love the Health Share idea, where people of like minds (often Christian but can be just a general healthy and Gd-fearing life) pool together money, focus on their actual HEALTH, and are helped with large medical costs if needed. We just started this year. Instead of paying $2000 a month we now pay $500 a month (in Dec our old insurance went up to $2500 a month and only covered 80% after deductible was met). After $1500 self pay (like a deductible) Liberty pays 100%, and you can choose any doctor or hospital you wish. The monthly cost would be far less for a smaller family. $500 covers 6 of us.
Every FReeper should consider a health share. Last year, in October, I had brain surgery at an exceptional hospital. With cash discounts you get when you direct pay, if we had paid cash for our whole year of health services last year, we’d have come out AHEAD Of those premiums.
My wife and I have been using Christian Healthcare Ministries since I retired and are equally happy.