Questions On Health Insurance

[r2Dtoo]

kan u use that money to by pizzas instead of health ensuranse?

 

No, you may only buy balloons.  This is why Democrats should be in complete control of the government instead of having to share it with the party of "no".

[CatholicsAreKewl]

kan u use that money to by pizzas instead of health ensuranse?

 

lol, I just cracked up in my lab.

[God the Father]

all of your questions are summarized, catalogged, and answered in simple terms here:

 

http://gotinsurancecolorado.org/index.php?id=6

[Kateri89]

All right, after a lot of research, thought, and prayer I've decided to opt out of choosing a health insurance plan (which I know some people here disagree with) but I have to say, at least I can still purchase vision/dental benefits.  I looked through the plans and every single plan covers contraceptives that also can act as abortifacients.  This made my decision a little bit easier.  I would love to be able to keep my insurance but I can't in good conscience give our government all of that money so that they can continue to violate religious freedom.  Plus, I had to remind myself that there are many people (in this country and especially in poorer countries) who have lived without health insurance their whole lives while I went to bed at night without any concerns about those people.  I am ashamed of myself for that and hopefully now that I will be without insurance, I'll more fully appreciate what they went through.  I'll just keep praying that I don't develop some deadly illness or get into a horrible accident because as of right now, I have no existing medical problems.   :pray:   I do appreciate all the feedback that you guys gave me though.  Thanks!

[AnneLine]

Sr Kateri,

 

I totally understand where you and several of the other posters are coming from on this one, and if this is your decision after prayerful reflection, I am not going to try to get you to change your mind.  Because I do think sometimes people are called to a heroic witness on things like this.

 

However, I also think that those who opt with deciding to go for insurance, choosing the best they can under duress (as Nihil indicated) can also feel they have done what they can.  A single person in relatively good health can most likely do OK without the insurance; others, with chronic health problems, and/or families, may have to select something.

 

I guess I have reluctantly bought into buying insurance after having to go in for a week of major hospitalization, surgery, and all the related fun when I was 19 and had no insurance.  I was fortunate at that time that I was able to retroactively go on our state's medical assistance for those without insurance, but under current laws I would NOT be eligible for this.  That would have meant having the equivalent of a $200,000 medical bill to pay while working at a minimum wage job.   I would still be paying it off... presuming that the creditors had not come to get my arms and legs at this point, literally 38 years later.

 

I think we all need to prayerfully discern what God is asking of us, and pray hard for all of those making these choices... and let our legislators know that we really need them to stop fighting and WORK ON THE PROBLEM.   This is appalling!

[NotreDame]

Sr Kateri,

 

Sorry I'm seeing this so late, but just saw this and I'm concerned that someone younger is choosing not to get employer offered insurance on moral grounds.  I don't think this is a moral issue - at least not for you. 

 

As Anne Line points out, you could end up on the hook for a HUGE bill if anything happened to you.  Ambulance, emergency room, hospital stay... That adds up quick and if you are employed you aren't going to be let off the hook for the bill. 

 

It really sucks that we are all going to be forced to pay into a pool that pays for these things, but I have not seen anyone, anywhere even from the most conservative, orthodox, traditional sites, say that there is any moral issue with an employee taking a plan, even if it covers these things.  Now I might be wrong and I'm not saying there aren't moral issues abound with this subject, but an employee accepting a 'bad' plan because they aren't given a choice is not one of them.  

 

Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I have not seen anything saying that the morally right thing to do is to decline coverage.  I'm not looking to debate, I'm looking for an actual authority who has given an opinion on this - I just haven't seen one that says you should decline coverage based on this. 

 

You are young.  It's good that you are thinking about this.  However, this is not an issue to get altruistic over.  Unless someone can point to an authority saying you decline, then if you get coverage from your employer, please take it.  I really think that's the prudent thing to do (and prudence is a virtue.) 

 

[CrossCuT]

Sr Kateri,

 

Sorry I'm seeing this so late, but just saw this and I'm concerned that someone younger is choosing not to get employer offered insurance on moral grounds.  I don't think this is a moral issue - at least not for you. 

 

As Anne Line points out, you could end up on the hook for a HUGE bill if anything happened to you.  Ambulance, emergency room, hospital stay... That adds up quick and if you are employed you aren't going to be let off the hook for the bill. 

 

It really smells of elderberries that we are all going to be forced to pay into a pool that pays for these things, but I have not seen anyone, anywhere even from the most conservative, orthodox, traditional sites, say that there is any moral issue with an employee taking a plan, even if it covers these things.  Now I might be wrong and I'm not saying there aren't moral issues abound with this subject, but an employee accepting a 'bad' plan because they aren't given a choice is not one of them.  

 

Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I have not seen anything saying that the morally right thing to do is to decline coverage.  I'm not looking to debate, I'm looking for an actual authority who has given an opinion on this - I just haven't seen one that says you should decline coverage based on this. 

 

You are young.  It's good that you are thinking about this.  However, this is not an issue to get altruistic over.  Unless someone can point to an authority saying you decline, then if you get coverage from your employer, please take it.  I really think that's the prudent thing to do (and prudence is a virtue.) 

 

I feel similarly. I dont think it would be morally wrong for someone to take the insurance. Besides, if you opt out yourll have the pay the fine which will increase exponentially every few years. 

I havent heard a single leader in the church say "Hey catholics, if you get insurance youll be in big trouble"

[Kateri89]

Sr Kateri,

 

Sorry I'm seeing this so late, but just saw this and I'm concerned that someone younger is choosing not to get employer offered insurance on moral grounds.  I don't think this is a moral issue - at least not for you. 

 

As Anne Line points out, you could end up on the hook for a HUGE bill if anything happened to you.  Ambulance, emergency room, hospital stay... That adds up quick and if you are employed you aren't going to be let off the hook for the bill. 

 

It really smells of elderberries that we are all going to be forced to pay into a pool that pays for these things, but I have not seen anyone, anywhere even from the most conservative, orthodox, traditional sites, say that there is any moral issue with an employee taking a plan, even if it covers these things.  Now I might be wrong and I'm not saying there aren't moral issues abound with this subject, but an employee accepting a 'bad' plan because they aren't given a choice is not one of them.  

 

Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I have not seen anything saying that the morally right thing to do is to decline coverage.  I'm not looking to debate, I'm looking for an actual authority who has given an opinion on this - I just haven't seen one that says you should decline coverage based on this. 

 

You are young.  It's good that you are thinking about this.  However, this is not an issue to get altruistic over.  Unless someone can point to an authority saying you decline, then if you get coverage from your employer, please take it.  I really think that's the prudent thing to do (and prudence is a virtue.) 

 

I'm glad you mentioned this because I also was looking for some kind of Church authority figure to give an answer to this and hadn't been able to find one.  However, I kept looking and found this:

 

http://www.southtexascatholic.com/index.cfm?load=news&newsarticle=1406

 

So I still have 2 more days of open enrollment to modify my choices and I will take into account this article as well as all of the input from PMers.

[Anastasia13]

Just because things are covered doesn't mean people will use it for birth control and insurance. Maybe you can make a point of praying for people on the plan each time you use your coverage at the doctor or pharmacy. The insurance prayer bells of St. Kateri...

Edited November 11, 2013 by Light and Truth

[CrossCuT]

My plan covers birth control but I wont be using it.

[AnneLine]

My favorite story along these lines occurred in my diocese a few years ago.

 

The priests of the diocese had a policy that ONLY covered the priests.  ONLY the priests.   They had to pay for MATERNITY and gynocological coverage!

[CrossCuT]

My favorite story along these lines occurred in my diocese a few years ago.

 

The priests of the diocese had a policy that ONLY covered the priests.  ONLY the priests.   They had to pay for MATERNITY and gynocological coverage!

 

:hehe2:

[Maggyie]

SrKateri, I really encourage you to think some more about your options. Keep in mind that if you do suffer a catastrophic injury or illness while uninsured, the resulting debt is guaranteed to negatively affect your vocation (whether that's marriage OR religious life). The tens, even hundreds, of thousands of dollars of debt can cripple your ability to enter a congregation, have the children responsibly, or even take care of yourself a single person. Someone in that situation is not in a position to fight the good fight for religious freedom.