My husband is self-employed. The least expensive health insurance we can find is $20,000 a year, with a $10,000 deductible. NO ONE will cover pregnancy on any self-employed policy; it’s not even available.

We have 5 children. I pay out of pocket to my midwife.

Despite three trips to the hospital in the last three years (including a broken arm for one child, which cost $6,000), and the birth of two children, our medical costs have been less than we would have paid for insurance for one year.

When you’re self-employed, you pay both sides of the policy–your costs, the premiums, and the out-of pocket costs on top of that.

And the $20,000 policy? That’s for catastophic situtions; not even an every day type of policy. I still pay out of pocket for dental and eye exams and procedures as well.

County health departments will give vaccinations for $10. The doctor’s office costs $80 per visit (with the uninsured discount), plus the cost of the shots, which can be up to $110 EACH.

While I would love to have health insurance, it is way too expensive. Forcing me to buy health insurance (at a minimum of $15,000 per family–and I have a bigger family than some– according to the bill that the House passed that is in the Senate now) is not going to make health insurance affordable for me. It just makes it impossible for me to provide basic neccesities, like food, clothing, and shelter.

I think she believes there is more harm in getting the vaccines. We’ve never really talked about WHY she doesn’t vax.