Our RV Boondocking Health Care and Health Insurance Choices

RV Boondocking Health care is a delicate subject that stirs a lot of emotion and fears. I'm not gonna tell you that I've got some sort of magic solution for the problem. 'bout all I can do is give you the story of the choices we've made, and hope that it'll give you enough more information to help you make some choices regarding your own Health Care, that you can be comfortable with.

For many years, on the ranch, we had no health insurance for RV Boondocking Health Care at all. Most insurance is something that I've always felt, is in large part a scam, and for the most part, I still do. Unfortunately, the whole medical system has been as corrupted as politics, by the big money... didn't I read that in the Boss's Book somewhere? That money corrupts?.... Hmmm.

If we got sick, we paid the doctor. If we weren't sick... we went fishing, and I didn't worry about things... like I don't worry about gettin' hit in my bed by a meteor. Let's face it, RV Boondocking Health Care or not... when it's all said an' done, we end up in the same place. And hopefully... you end up in a lot cooler place than where I'm likely headed! :-)

It's my belief that more people get sick and suffer from the stress of worrying about what might happen, then get sick and suffer from disease itself. They worry so hard to pay the bill, for RV Boondocking Health Care, and slave for the insurance companies so much, that they never truly live.

They're conditioned so effectively, by the constant din of the 'talking heads' on the boob tube; and the politicians in the pockets of the big insurance companies, that they're terrified to be without Health Insurance. They're driven by the 'conditioned' fear, they recieve from the media, that without the help of the insurance companies and big government, they're doomed. I truly believe that the worry inflicted on them is more damaging then being without the insurance in the first place.

I have never understood how the idea that paying some outfit $2 to pay my $1 Doctor bill made any sense. A few years ago my daughter and I went to the.... SAME.... doctor, about two weeks apart... My trip was for a minor allergy thing... hers for an equally minor thing. At the time I had the group insurance from work (after we'd left the ranch)... she had none.

The bill for my visit, with insurance, was $75.... for her, without insurance, paid cash, was $35..... You don't really believe they were losing any money for her visit do you? People just have this idea that: "I'm not paying it, so who cares?"

You're not paying it? I'm not paying it?.... Why do you think medical/health Insurance costs $520 a month? You darn sure ARE paying for it. Your RV Boondocking Health Care darn sure is... coming out of your pocket... one way or the other!

The Health Insurance itself has become the driving force of the rising cost of RV Boondocking Health Care. Think about it. At the same time the insurance companies are reporting record profits, they also claim that their costs are rising so they need to make rate increases of 10%.... Hmmmm.... if true RV Boondocking Health Care costs were rising so fast.... wouldn't the profits of the Insurance companies be declining? With their profits rising.... before the rate increases.... that indicates, COSTS, were under control.... or they were just stampin' claims 'denied' ... Don't it?

Must be some of that 'new math' they came up with when I was a boy.... or just another snake oil salesman.

Unfortunately, in the end, we have little choice but to pay the ransom for our RV Boondocking Health Care. They've corrupted the system so badly, that if you don't have some form of insurance, you can easily be bankrupted by an injury or illness. We really have little choice but to participate in a corrupt system, if we can afford to, or the costs can consume you... IF.... something does happen.

We participate (Heidi and I), with deep reservations, and hope that someone smarter than me, and with enough power to impose a change, actually does.

Until then....

We started out a couple years ago, when I was still working a fulltime job, with the company health insurance. (after we left the ranch and moved to town)

It carried me, but we still had to add $225 or so per month, for Heidi. When I left the full time position we went on the COBRA (or was it COBRE?) extension setup for several months until we decided to convert our old group health insurance to individual. That cost us $520 a month.

How obscene is that? $520 a month.... and we haven't been to a doctor in over two years. $12,480 gone.... PFFFTTT! I have to take some responsibility for that. I did allow an insurance rep to talk me into it... and didn't really get educated about all the available options. Shame on me.

But that just goes to show you... the sales reps aren't going to make sure you're aware of what's out there. Their goal is to squeeze all the dinero out of you that they can..... That new Porche ain't cheap you know!

Now, what we're doing is a three stage thing:

First, we pay all the minor stuff, wierd burps, small splinters, a rash from poison Ivy kinds of things, out of pocket. On the road, we utilize 'Urgent Care' facilities... NOT... a major hospital emergency room... Those are just money factories for the big medical care corporations. I should say here.... this is more of our 'plan', rather than a "this happened to us" scenario. Fortunately, we're healthy/lucky enough that we've had little need for medical care. I fully acknowledge that there are folks not as fortunate as us, and that our 'system' won't meet their needs.

Second, we've set up an HSA (Health Savings Account)... to cover the 'High Deductible' amount if/when necessary.

Third, we have what they call an HDHP (High Deductable Health Plan).... this is a requirement to set up the HSA. The plan we chose costs us approximately half what the old, regular health insurance was costing. This takes care of Catastrophic Medical Events.

... Stage Three 'A', I should also say that, due to my service connected disability rating, I have a high classification with the VA. In a pinch, if we got destitute... and I got bad hurt or sick.... I could go to the VA for treatment.... at this time, with the thousands of fresh, Purple Heart Vets flooding the system, I've decided to not avail myself of that benefit. I'm doing OK and want to leave the resources that would be pulled off for me, there, in the system, for those good men and women who are in far greater need than I. We could, if pushed, drop me from our private RV Boondocking Health Care insurance... reducing our bill further, and just continue insuring Heidi.

Our plan is to actually use the HSA very little, allowing it to build up better with the annual deposits... and be there for more major needs... which, keeping my fingers crossed will not happen... and I'm stayin' away from buckin' horses, bulls, and other mens wives... just to make sure!

Those minor doctor visits and treatments, which are actually very rare for us, can easily be paid, out of pocket... and come off the taxes anyway... I think... Of course they're always churning the rules and regulations... so what's legal today... probably won't be tomorrow... if the bureaucrats can scheme a way to get away with something.

One of the benefits with an HSA and/or paying your bills yourself is; You start paying attention to the costs, and the free market system gets back into play, pushing prices down a bit. Even the Doctors are starting to see the benefits of this.

I saw a show on '20/20' or '60 Minutes' ( I forget which) a week or so ago. They were talking about how... many... Doctors are beginning to set up their practices, specifically for people who are paying their own bills. The focus was ... HOW MUCH CHEAPER THEY WERE DOING IT....

If we all get with the program, and take Active Personal Responsibility for our own, RV Boondocking Health care, I believe the bureaucrats will get the message, and get their butts out of my (our) private medical affairs. The insurance companies will be forced by market pressures, whether they like it or not, to get their acts together and put their rates in line with what is right and proper.

We are the ones footing the bill for our RV Boondocking Health care. It's about time that.... WE.... realize just how much power we actually have within the system.

The point of all my rambling is this; You can have decent RV Boondocking Health care, reduce the worry and stress about the finances, and still get to LIVE in the meantime. Do your research. Get all the numbers together and make an informed decision for your future. Take control of your Health Care. Don't allow it to be dictated to you by corporations and their government stooges whose primary interest is profits.

Make these preparations for your RV Boondocking Health care and then, with all your affairs in order, get goin' RV Boondocking!

I'll see you there!

*** This is... in NO WAY... legal or medical advice... It's only the story of what we've chosen to do, in our own situation. Take from it what might be of use for you, and discard what you figure is the product of an over active imagination!***

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