When did you first get health insurance?

[FarCenter]

When I was a kid in the early '50s my family did not have health insurance. The first health insurance was probably in the late '50s, but it would have only covered hospitalization and catastrophic medical care. However, I can't recall a specific year.

Number of people with health insurance went from about 30 million at the end of WW II to about 130 million in 1960. The US population in 1960 was 180 million, so about 72% were covered.

See Figure 1: Number of Persons with Health Insurance (thousands), 1940-1960


From https://web.archive.org/web/20110903053358/http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/thomasson.insurance.health.us

[RedWedge]

1. On my own, my first job out of college, in 1993.

It was an entry-level position in marketing. I think I had a paycheck deduction that helped pay for it, but it was very small. I remember no co-pays or ever paying a bill. I didn't use it a lot, but I did get glasses and contacts on it, and annual exams.

[Eleanors38]

2. In '67. The U. of Florida had a policy for $40/yr.

If anything was serious, they would send you to the Shands Teaching Hospital.

Got a similar policy at U. of Texas, sans teaching hospital since there wasn't one. It cost a little more.

[MineralMan]

3. I finally got mine at age 40, in 1985.

I went through my University's Alumni Association group to Blue Cross in California. It was very affordable. It was also not transferable when I moved to Minnesota in 2004. My new policy, as an individual, self-employed person was much more expensive, and it kept going up every year until I turned 65 and went on Medicare. My Medicare supplement is still through Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and costs more than I paid for the original policy I bought at 40.

[liberal N proud]

4. My father worked a good union job

Health insurance
Dental insurance
Retirement plan
Great vacation
Compensation to afford to enjoy the vacations.

I was without insurance for a couple of years after graduating college until I landed my first job in my field.

[louis-t]

5. Age 19, 1976. $20 a month.

[etherealtruth]

6. I was born in the 1960s ... my family had health insurance through my father's job

I had my father's insurance until I graduated from nursing school in 1984 ... at that time I had employer paid health insurance.

I was without health insurance for approximately 1999-2006 following a divorce.

[sab390]

7. Always

But it was major medical. It paid 80% of a hospital visit. You paid everything else. In the 30s and 40s it wasn't needed for my family, they just paid the bill. Medical costs have gone up so much in relation to worker's pay you now have to have it.

[narnian60]

8. In 1986 when I became a teacher at 33 years old.

I had been a waitress since I was 19 before that.

[Adsos Letter]

9. My dad had Kaiser insurance as a benefit through the State of California.

Starting back in the 1960's.

[kudzu22]

10. When I started working at age 24

I was covered by parents' policy before that.

[Wellstone ruled]

11. Couple of things.

During the 40's and 50's,we had County supported Hospitals and Clinics in Wisconsin. Funding came from the State and the Local Taxing Districts,Townships,Villages as well as County. Yes medical costs were very low and in most cases,you just paid the bill,but for the most serious issues it was covered by the sinking funds of the local Medical facility. You sure as hell won't find that in Wisconsin this day.

Like most,our Insurance was supplied via the Union Job source,that was the case in our home. Believe the first coverage came in 1948 after the local Dairy was unionized. My first Insurance was free as a Student in College,later we were covered via a Paid and Maintain Policy with first dollar zero co-pay coverage through a Teamster Shop,Sales and Service,which lasted a couple of decades. Under Reagan,and the demise of our HMO's,all bets were off,and what we see is you owe your ass to United Health.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

12. Not until college, and that was some kind of lousy emergency insurance...

... with a very large deductible.

It then took several more years before an employer offered health insurance as a benefit.

Maybe my parents had me covered sometimes, but I don't remember since we never seemed to have health insurance when it was needed! It seemed like Dad never had health insurance at his jobs.

I broke my collar bone and a few ribs as a kid after flipping off my bicycle at high speed (Dad had tightened the brakes without telling me), and my parents acted like they didn't want to take me to a doctor because of the cost. I asked Dad to just shoot me in the head as I laid on the living room floor, nauseous and in severe pain. I meant it! They eventually drove me to a nearby hospital (it was a weekend) where I received x-rays and a sling. Admittedly, the severe pain had subsided a lot by the time we reached the hospital, but the clavicle probably wouldn't have healed properly without the sling. That was back in the early 80's.

[Javaman]

13. working in a dept store in 1982, and guess what...

I was covered 100% with no deductible.

imagine that. the good old days.

[Skittles]

14. delivered by USAF major

instant coverage

[LeftInTX]

15. Although I had insurance previously, I didn't give it much thought till 1985

We got married and wanted to start a family right away. My husband was a teacher in Texas and it was not cheap insurance and they were already pushing the HMO crap back then. It was expensive.

Now, when I used to go to the doctor for acne, colds, flu and gynecologist when I was living up in Wisconsin, I really didn't pay any attention and usually just paid in full. The office visits were very reasonable. However, when I came to Texas and faced the expensive of having a baby it all changed.

[MissB]

16. I grew up without it in the 70s.

My parents rarely took me to a dr or dentist. Usually it was an emergency situation, so I assume they had catastrophic coverage. Since dad was a cancer survivor (well before I was born) I'm not 100% sure we even had that.

When I had my first job I was covered but I never used the insurance because I had no idea how to or any idea why I would- just wasn't in my experience to deal with it. I did rely on planned parenthood when I was in college/not working which is why I still contribute to them each month- they are a fabulous organization!

When my husband and I got married (I was 26), I had insurance for the first time, and have been continually covered in the two decades since.

My kids have always been covered.

My mother is now on medicare with some sort of local health department coverage too. I had to talk her down after the last appointment she had (which was probably the first thorough appointment she's had in decades.) She did not understand why the dr wanted her blood pressure or blood sugar. I had to explain to her the idea of preventative medicine. Sigh. Explains so much

[Phentex]

17. Military family coverage. Then on my own in my 20's through work...

We had catastrophic coverage until ACA came along. That's no longer available to us. But I am not complaining.

[HeartachesNhangovers]

18. My family was low income, so I don't think I had

health insurance until I went to college. I believe the UC system in CA included it under the school fees (don't know what they do now). I never went to the health center while I was in school. After graduation at 21 I got a job with a huge electrical utility company and have had paid insurance ever since through different employers. I'm retired now and my retirement pays about $1,700 / month for medical (Anthem/Blue Cross PPO), vision and dental for me and my wife.

What's shocking is that my last employer pays a lot more for this benefit than we pay for rent!