4 ms·

If you have children, it's pretty statistically likely that you'll be in and out of the doctor's office for routine things like ear infections, strep throat, br

by douche 10y ago

If you have children, it's pretty statistically likely that you'll be in and out of the doctor's office for routine things like ear infections, strep throat, bronchitis, flu. If they play sports, you can tack on sprains, broken bones, x-rays, concussions, and yearly sports physicals. The difference between paying the copays for all those office visits and paying the uninsured-but-not-in-poverty sticker price is massive.

pjc50 10y ago
Is that the adult with the insurance, or the children? This is the point above about "Imagine if all your insurance for your auto, home and life ended when you quit a job" squared: as a child, your health insurance is completely dependent on your parents' jobs.
- chimeracoder 10y ago
  > "Imagine if all your insurance for your auto, home and life ended when you quit a job" squared: as a child, your health insurance is completely dependent on your parents' jobs. That's not really what happens in the US (and hasn't been for a while). Under the ACA, any involuntary loss of other coverage is a qualifying life event that entitles you to purchase individual or family coverage on the market, just as if it were during the open enrollment period. But even before the ACA, dependents could (and still can be) covered on the old insurance via COBRA for up to 18 months. So nobody's health insurance is really completely dependent on their job (or their parents' jobs). Their ability to afford the coverage they want may be dependent on their income and financial state, but that's already true of auto, home, and life insurance.
DanBC 10y ago
> doctor's office for routine things like ear infections, Why? There's not much doctors can do for ear infection. (Or strep throat, or flu).
- douche 10y ago
  You know that, and I know that, but a lot of people drag their kids into the doctor's every time they have the sniffles. I guess they don't hand out antibiotics like they used to, but I can remember having strep and getting a prescription for penicillin would knock it out in a day or two, whereas suffering along and letting it run its course could take weeks.
- richmarr 10y ago
  > Why? The baby has been constantly screaming and not eating for two days, you're physically and emotionally exhausted, and googling tells you a dozen things that could cause the symptoms, each one ending "make sure you consult your doctor". What do you do?

by douche 10y ago

pjc50 10y ago

Is that the adult with the insurance, or the children? This is the point above about "Imagine if all your insurance for your auto, home and life ended when you quit a job" squared: as a child, your health insurance is completely dependent on your parents' jobs.

chimeracoder 10y ago
> "Imagine if all your insurance for your auto, home and life ended when you quit a job" squared: as a child, your health insurance is completely dependent on your parents' jobs. That's not really what happens in the US (and hasn't been for a while). Under the ACA, any involuntary loss of other coverage is a qualifying life event that entitles you to purchase individual or family coverage on the market, just as if it were during the open enrollment period. But even before the ACA, dependents could (and still can be) covered on the old insurance via COBRA for up to 18 months. So nobody's health insurance is really completely dependent on their job (or their parents' jobs). Their ability to afford the coverage they want may be dependent on their income and financial state, but that's already true of auto, home, and life insurance.

DanBC 10y ago

> doctor's office for routine things like ear infections, Why? There's not much doctors can do for ear infection. (Or strep throat, or flu).

douche 10y ago
You know that, and I know that, but a lot of people drag their kids into the doctor's every time they have the sniffles. I guess they don't hand out antibiotics like they used to, but I can remember having strep and getting a prescription for penicillin would knock it out in a day or two, whereas suffering along and letting it run its course could take weeks.
richmarr 10y ago
> Why? The baby has been constantly screaming and not eating for two days, you're physically and emotionally exhausted, and googling tells you a dozen things that could cause the symptoms, each one ending "make sure you consult your doctor". What do you do?