Hacker News Reader

Comment by jsiarto | Hacker News Reader

What happens if you get really sick (cancer, etc.) or hit by a bus?

That's what the high deductible plan is for. You pay your (in my case, $11k) deductible, and everything else is covered. Set your deductible according to what you have in the bank and what you're comfortable losing.

Of course, if that happens, your startup is probably going to be on hold, too. And that will be the least of your worries. ;)

My point in advocating Qliance is that it makes the sort of care you'll probably actually need -- you know, annual physicals, broken toes, vaccinations, "help, doc, I can't sleep" -- really cheap compared to trying to get that stuff done on a traditional plan.

Your other options are (A) get a comprehensive insurance plan, which in my case would be $300/mo instead of $50, (B) pay for primary care visits yourself, at over $100 for a week's wait and a 15-minute visit that ends in a referral, or (C) ignore health problems.

Those are all really expensive. I'm saying if you're paying for your own health care, you should do the efficient thing. Having a primary care physician on retainer for $60/mo is fantastic for your health and peace of mind, and pays for itself the first time you use it, in time saved alone.

For a young person, improbable illness is probably best handled by bankruptcy.

That works after a car wreck, but if they get cancer they're going to die. A hospital is only required to get them stable enough to discharge, not treat long-term conditions without any prospect of payment.

This must be the American way of thinking. Doesn't sound like a good plan to me.

This isn't "the American way of thinking," it is a response to the state of the American system. Although casual, yours is a rather bigoted statement.

It's not bigoted, just wrong. Requires a familiarity with US law to know why it's wrong, though. There are some ideas and beliefs that are more common in the US than in other places, just as there are particular ideas and beliefs everywhere that are more common there than other places. Don't lower the bar on bigotry.

I disagree--a bankruptcy should be avoided at all costs as it will leave you in a financial world-of-hurt for a long time. The sad thing is, given the state of health insurance in the US, bankruptcy is on the table and that just sucks.

But I'd rather pay high premiums than risk a bankruptcy.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com