Are people who refuse to buy health insurance freeloaders?

[memphis]

A person who can afford health insurance, but chooses not to buy it? Does such a person exist? I'm sure out of 300,000,000 people that applies to somebody. Not a common circumstance though.

[memphis]

Buying insurance is a decision to pool your individual risk with others and share the costs of that risk. Any individual can choose to maintain their own risk. Earlier today I heard a woman on the radio describe how she was uninsured but working and needed an expensive medical procedure. She said the hospital was happy to set up an affordable payment plan to pay off the bill. I've heard similar statements from hospital administrators. She didn't sound like a freeloader.

And I'm sure she's good for it

[memphis]

Buying insurance is a decision to pool your individual risk with others and share the costs of that risk. Any individual can choose to maintain their own risk. Earlier today I heard a woman on the radio describe how she was uninsured but working and needed an expensive medical procedure. She said the hospital was happy to set up an affordable payment plan to pay off the bill. I've heard similar statements from hospital administrators. She didn't sound like a freeloader.

And I'm sure she's good for it

another liberal who trusts government to dictate central policy better than individual rational actors in the marketplace.

You think consumers are rational? Don Draper would like a word with you.

[memphis]

If the average cost of a person's health insurance premium yearly is $5,000, and the average ER visit is $1,300, factoring in deductibles, you'd have to go to the emergency room 5+ times a year to break even. You're betting you'll get hurt bad enough to make back the money you're spending. Unless you're at risk for something like cancer or surgery, it just isn't financially smart for some people to buy insurance.

The problem isn't when you have to visit the ER for something minor, but when you get into an accident or you have a heart attack or stroke. It's going to cost you more than a $1,000 to treat that.

Or cancer.

Cancer is more what it's all about. An ER is the appropriate place (though still crazy expensive) to treat a trauma like a bad car accident. For a chronic disease like cancer or diabetes, it's the worst possible place for treatment.