Health Insurance: Not Just For Responsible People

Hello fellow musicians, artists, etc.

Just a quick note.

Please, please, please consider getting health insurance if you don’t already have it.

If you have it and your friends don’t have it … then please forward this along.

I’m a pretty health conscious guy. I don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs, I drink once or twice a month, I eat right, I take no prescription medications, and I work out regularly.

For a long time I didn’t have insurance. The very thought of participating in a scheme that I deemed corrupt made me sick. Ideology aside, I was short on money and this seemed like a good way to save. When I got sick I’d pay doctors in cash and they would usually cut me a deal. This approach worked for a long time. Health Insurance seemed like something corrupt and adult. Plus, if I was already broke, then how bad could it be?

A couple years ago I decided to bite the bullet and buy insurance from Freelancers Union. I was pretty enamored by the idea of a bunch of freelancers banding together to get a better deal on something. Each month I have around $300 deducted from my bank account automatically. If it wasn’t for Freelancers Union I probably would have never purchased insurance. Something about their “fight the power” subway ads got my attention. Anyway, I begrudgingly set up up auto-debit and complained about paying $3,600 a year “for nothing”.

In August of this year I was diagnosed with a potentially lethal heart arrhythmia. On August 29th I underwent a procedure that (if I’m lucky) cured the problem. I have returned to sports and it looks like I’ll be fine for the time being. Sure, I could have tried natural remedies, meditation, and yoga. But when you feel your life and lifestyle is at stake you tend to just go for it.

I am a Photoshop Master!

Yesterday I opened a letter from my insurance company explaining my benefits. The procedure cost over $100,000 (for a two hour procedure followed by five hours in a recovery room). My insurance company and the providers (NYU) negotiated a $30,000 discount leaving my insurance company paying $60,000, and me owing $10,000. $10K is still a lot, but it is better than $100,000.

When I wasn’t buying insurance, I figured I was playing the odds and winning. Whenever my seemingly more adult friends would tell me to get insurance I used to always laugh it off. It was too much to worry about. And I had a tough enough time paying my rent. Plus … I was winning.

I have changed my mind: Please, please, please consider getting health insurance. Don’t go a day longer without it. If this had happened a year ago I would have needed to be bailed out by family and friends, and I would still have had a huge debt. Take care of yourself!!

If you live in NYC, Freelancers Union has a plan which is under $200 that will cover you in case of something catastrophic.