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medical insurance? deductible? aaarrrhhh!?

So I recently moved to the US from England. The medical insurance is WAYYYYY different! I have some questions. Alot of medical plans requre you to select a deductible. I understand what that is, kind of! I know that if I end up in a wreck and my bill is 5,000 with my deductible of 1,000 the insurers would cover the remaining 4,000 once I paid mine. But say I had a deductible of 4,000 and I really didnt go to the docs office to much.. everytime i went to the doctors would i have to pay 100% of it myself until I had paid 4,000 worth of insurance. Surely it would be more cost effective to NOT have the insurance. I wouldnt be paying $500 a month AND 100% of my own doctors costs.. Would medical insurance really only pay off if I got into a major accident?

Public Comments

1. No, you need insurance, a lot can happen that'll cost you hundreds if not thousands of dollars. But $500 a month IS a lot, if your income is low enough and you have a major accident, you can usually weasel out of paying most if not all of the bill.
2. there is no 4000 deductable. the highest I know is 1 thousand. many companies have different plans, like the first 1 thousand in dental is covered, but after that, your share of the cost increases. doctors and hospitals all have deep pockets in america and charge incredibly high fees, so insurance, though it may appear doesn;t pay for much, is essential.
3. Actually, deductibles can work differently. On my plan, I have a 2500 deductible, but when I go to the doc I only pay a $10 copay. The 2500 really only kicks in on major stuff. You should be able to talk to the administrator and get it fully explained.
4. It depends on the type of plan you purchase. You can get a very good insurance plan with a low deductible for $200 per month. In addition, you could decide not to purchase insurance but you need to make sure you invest the money you are saving. An example, you fall and break your ankle. The surgeon's bill alone will be between $2500 and $5000. This does not include the anesthesiologist or the hospital charges.