I did not give much thought on health insurance until the time that I needed it. Similarly to most individuals, I thought that I was healthy enough that it would not make much of a difference. And then some minor problem became one or two unforeseen meetings and I was a lot of time on the phone than in the doctors office, trying to figure out what was covered and what was not. It was the only experience that changed my perception of the entire system.
It is complicated by the fact that we live in a big city such as Houston. The choices available are so numerous, and it sounds fine until you start to compare them without being overwhelmed by such a big choice. I recall my late one night sitting at my kitchen table, going through plans and fine print and understanding how few of us know how to explain this stuff in plain language. You are not going x with chicken or with cell phone services. These are decisions that make your life in the real moments and at times you are already stressed.
The fact that it was a personal decision shocked me the most. The friends would provide advice depending on their situations, and none of them was exactly applicable to mine. To others, it is reasonable to have the Private Health Insurance in Houston due to flexibility or the selected physicians. To others, it is an unwarranted cost. There never is a right answer and it is most likely the most difficult thing to accept.
However, as time passed I got to learn how to consider coverage as I consider routines or habits. It is not thrilling, and it is easy to defer to, but as best considered aids you to a certain calm peace of mind. You never really notice it, you just notice when it is gone.
I still believe that a lot of things could be easier and more human regarding healthcare. Perhaps, the true worth of this all comes in the open discussion of these experiences, so we are not all dealing with it individually.
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