No, I Don’t Have Insurance — and I’m Still Smarter Than Your Doctor
Let’s get this out of the way:
I don’t have health insurance.
And before you clutch your pearls and gasp like I just admitted to eating expired yogurt, let me be crystal clear — it’s not because I don’t value my health.
It’s because I finally value my sanity more than the broken-ass system pretending to protect it.
I’ve played the game.
Hell, I worked in the game — 20 years as a nurse.
I’ve been on both sides of the chart. And let me tell you, the healthcare system is not “sick.”
It’s full-blown septic.
Rotting from the inside, propped up by overpriced testing, pill-pushing, and compassion that only lasts as long as your copay.
Let’s Talk Numbers — and Nonsense
Everyone acts like having insurance is some magical safety net.
It’s not. It’s a spiderweb — sticky, tangled, and designed to trap you the second you actually need it.
Let me walk you through the math:
Cheapest private plan: $600/month
That’s $7,200/year, even if I never step foot in a clinic.
Add the $5,000 deductible before it even “kicks in.”
Now we’re at $12,200 a year for the privilege of maybe getting help — eventually.
Know what I can get with that?
At least 3–4 ER visits out-of-pocket
Or every doctor’s visit I actually need, paid in cash
Without the middleman profiting off my kidney infection
The numbers don’t lie — but the system sure as hell does.
UTI Math: Urgent Care vs. Doing It Myself
I’ve had 7 UTIs this year (thanks, chronic illness), and here’s how I handled it:
DIY Treatment:
Home test kit: $9.99 for 3 tests
Online script: $19.99
Antibiotic: $15.00
TOTAL: $44.98
Result: I’m fine.
Urgent Care:
Cost: $318
Test: Same one I did at home
Prescription: Same antibiotic I requested
Compassion: Negative 3 stars
Result: I was pissed, poorer, and still in pain
And that was with me doing half the diagnostic work already. I walked in prepared. I left ignored.
Being Uninsured = Not Being Played
Doctors don’t treat patients anymore.
They manage checklists, rush through scripts, and refer you like a hot potato because God forbid they deal with something complex.
I once had a rheumatologist straight-up say to me:
“If you had insurance, I’d order a full battery of labs. But since you’re paying cash, I’ll just do what’s necessary.”
Excuse me, WHAT?
So let me get this right — you admit to running unnecessary tests when insurance is footing the bill?
Tests that drive up premiums and line pockets — and patients eat the cost later?
No thanks.
Being uninsured forces me to ask questions, draw lines, and skip the BS.
I’m not neglecting my health.
I’m just not willing to fund a system that charges $4,000 for a 7-minute ER visit, then magically drops it to $220 when I say I’ll pay cash.
What. The. Actual. Fuck.
Why I’ll Never Let Myself Be Hospitalized
You think I’m scared of hospital bills?
Nope.
I’m scared of what happens once you’re in that gown.
I’ve been the nurse in those rooms. I know the truth:
6 patients per nurse. One’s in pain, one’s confused, one’s falling, and the others are waiting for meds. You are not the priority.
No breaks. Not for food. Not for tears. Not even to pee.
Charting lies. “Patient resting comfortably” = they haven’t coded yet.
Punishment for advocacy. Say something about unsafe staffing? Watch your schedule vanish.
Saint-like expectations. For $30/hr and trauma we don’t get to process.
I’ve seen people die waiting for attention.
I’ve watched wounds deepen while we waited for orders.
I’ve been in rooms where we all knew it wasn’t enough — and no one could say it.
So no. I won’t be checking into that world.
Because I’m not gambling my life on a system that already showed me its cards.
🔥 Solutions So Wild They Might Work
Let’s dream a little, shall we? Since nothing about the current system makes sense anyway…
💰 The Guilt Tax
Tax every CEO who says “we’re a family” while denying paid time off. Revenue goes straight to universal dental.
🏆 Medical Roulette
Every 10th ER patient gets their bill waived — but only if they guess their wait time within 5 minutes.
👩⚕️ The “Walk a Shift” Rule
Before setting coverage policies, insurance execs must do 3 night shifts as a CNA during flu season. No bathroom breaks allowed.
🧾Honesty Pricing
If you slash my $4,000 bill to $220 without blinking, the real price is now $0. You lied. Start over.
Let’s not act like this is more outrageous than what we already have.
Final Diagnosis
I’m not uninsured because I’m reckless.
I’m uninsured because I’ve seen the truth.
I’m not “skipping care.”
I’m choosing not to be conned.
And I’ll keep using my voice, my blog, and my bullshit radar to stay alive — on my own damn terms.
Want More?
The blog you just read? That’s only the beginning.
The full digital download includes:
✅ Personal nursing stories I couldn’t share publicly
✅ Satirical solutions that are better than anything insurance ever offered
✅ Tools for self-advocacy (without losing your mind or your money)
✅ Real numbers, raw moments, and receipts from inside the system
✅ And a closing that might just be the validation you’ve been waiting for
Grab the ebook. Own the rage. Protect your peace.
→ Get the Extended Download – $4.99
or Free with Newsletter Signup
🔗 Share this post if you’re tired of being gaslit by the people who swore an oath to care.
💬 Drop a comment if this has ever happened to you — let’s stop pretending it’s just “bad luck.”
