Medical Roulette

This is a fun game to play.  It began when I left a previous job for my new position in March.  I was excited about the new job, however, as a contractor I get no health insurance.  The choices out there for getting your own insurance are not great.

I could have taken the COBRA option from my previous employer, but the ridiculously high premiums steered me away.  My contracting company did offer a plan, but it was not much better.  I decided to check out the insurance marketplace and try to get my own insurance.

The choices were there, but not cheap.  Oh sure, you can pay through the nose and get top-notch coverage, but there’s no way I can afford that without swinging my legs around a pole.

I decided to get a less expensive plan, but wait a couple of months to start coverage. On the plus side, I would save two months of paying premiums.  The downside?  I’ve been a nervous wreck.  I’m beyond paranoid something will happen and I will end up in the hospital with zero coverage.

Granted, with COBRA, they are obligated to cover you for up to 60 days, so if something does happen, I will be covered.  Of course, I will have to pay the insanely high premiums, but I will have insurance.

Considering the amount of anxiety I’ve had, so far things have been good.  I was feeling great and having no real concerns about not paying the premiums until this past Monday.

A weekend of having too much fun resulted in me having terrible stomach pains.  It was to the point that I wanted to leave work and go home, but I couldn’t, since I have no sick time.  I also don’t have insurance, so going to the doctor wasn’t an option.

I toughed it out for a couple of days, thinking it would get better and it didn’t.  By Tuesday night, I was drinking Pepto Bismol like water (not really, but it felt like it). I’m sure the anxiety I felt about not being able to go to the doctor didn’t help the situation.

At this point I’m cursing myself thinking why didn’t I just pay the money and get the damn insurance?  However, today my stomach did feel better and my stress has eased. I’m hoping everything will be fine now and my gamble will have paid off.

This medical roulette experience has not been fun or easy but unfortunately, I know I’m not the only one out there taking these chances.  At least the risk is only to myself and not my daughter.  I wonder how many others can say the same?