I am a member of the predominate religion in this state. I served a mission, got married, went to college and pharmacy school. When I started my family, we were offered Medicaid to pay for our babies and my wife flatly refused. Being members of a religion that emphasized self-reliance, we know that our children are our responsibility and that taking government handouts or expecting others to pay is not just wrong, but immoral.
We purchased a high-deductible catastrophic health insurance, which was affordable even for college students in order to protect us if mother or baby had complications. We negotiated with a doctor and hospital to create a payment plan for us. After we graduated, we continued to live in an apartment and eat Top Ramen noodles until we had paid our obligations.
I wondered recently why many college students readily accept Medicaid. Do they think Medicaid is just a free government grant for college students like a Pell grant? Or worse, are they so lacking in integrity that they actually think they were being clever by having babies in college so someone else will have to pay for them? Or, perhaps, health care has become so expensive that it's impossible for them to pay and they have no other choice.
I called a random insurance agency and found catastrophic health insurance for $60 per month. A group of obstetricians I spoke with charged $2,250 for prenatal care and delivery. A local hospital actually had a "Stork Saver" plan for $2,400 to cover the delivery and stay. A year of $60 per month premiums, plus doctor and hospital costs equal $5,370. Worse case scenario and they could add the $7,500 deductible for $12,870. Those who would balk at the debt should remember they will plop down their first payment on their new $30,000 car without blinking an eye.
Many of the students are from politically conservative families. They appear to remove their mouths from the government teat just long enough to complain about high taxes and government intrusion into their lives, then they go back to the trough. This group should stop abusing the system; they should know better.
Cole M. Brinkerhoff
Hooper
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