Illness or injury and farm life

[Jagmandave]

Hope your wife is doing better, and will have a quick recovery......

I never paid much attention to health insurance in the past, if it "came with the job", fine. But when I got married again late in life, she insisted, and it turned out to be a good investment when she was diagnosed with breast cancer a couple of years later. Right now we're well ahead of the curve on costs, but our insurance costs have tripled in the last few years, and coverage has dwindled considerably, so now I'm beginning to wonder about it's worth again. Sure it's a financial lifesaver if something catastrophic happens, but I'm wondering about those odds, compared to the costs. We've both been given a clean bill of health, I'm not at risk for heart problems, and we exercize and watch our weight. If I spend $6k a year (or more) in premiums, how many years would it take to be able to self insure? And in the meantime, if I don't have a problem, it's still in my bank instead of the insurance companies. I know it's a gamble, but people who don't have much $$$ run this risk their whole lives......just thinking out loud for now........

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I know it's a gamble )</font>

Yep, it is a gamble, and I know people who do it. There's one other consideration, too. If you have insurance and go to doctors and hospitals who accept that insurance, the amount that both the insurance company and you pay is considerably less than what the same doctor or hospital will charge private pay patients.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( our insurance costs have tripled in the last few years, and coverage has dwindled )</font>

Yep, ours, too.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If I spend $6k a year (or more) )</font>

Ours is definitely the "or more". /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Egon]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( which dog is she gonna have to kick out of the bed in order to recuperate?
)</font>

Oh oh; that could be an embarasing question! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[dmccarty]

And we know the answer is.....

PETE! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

So Pete, is the couch comefy?

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Later,
Dan

 

[Boondox]

No. I'm a few inches too long to fit comfortably, though Mrs Boondox fits just fine. The problem is she considers me her primary source of heat (sticks those cold feet against me and draws all the heat right out of me!), and there is only room for one on the couch. Which probably means I'll end up sleeping on the floor next to her so I can wake up several times each night and stoke the woodstove for her.

Sometimes it's tough being a husband. Pete

 

[rox]

Boondox, had to smile reading your post about taking care of your wife.

I big draw for us to move to France, (my husband's country) was the socialized healthcare. For the first year we got 100% free coverage from the national farmers organization. Well it wasn't actully 100% now that I think about it. It was free but it only covered 70% of the costs. We purchased a, I don't know what you call it, a rider policy form a private insurance company for $100 a month, that gave us full coverage, including prescription drugs.

This year I think we will pay about $1,000 a year form the National Farmers Organization + keep up our subsidiary policy. Healthcare over her is very good, but it is different.

My husband and I both work equally on the 12 acre olive farm, and we work very carefully, always cognizent of the opportunity for injury. Our most frequent injuries are eye injuries, what with all the tree branches and the time we spend prunning.

If something happened to one of us our back up plan us to get help form my husband's family (large family) plus the other farmers we have made friends with.

Over here I do not worry about getting sick or healthcare costs. I am completely covered incuding all pharmacy for a very low rate. When I left my corporate job (UAS) to go into olive farming I believe the cost to keep the company insurance was $1,200 a month.

I do not believe I could be a small olive farmer in the USA for one reason, health care/insurance costs.