As for going without health insurance, everyone must remember accidents happen, as shootingstar points out -- it's not just for disease-related issues!

The only time I had a serious need for healthcare services was when I had a bike accident in 2005, fracturing my pelvis in 3 places. One was serious enough to require orthopedic surgery, and I still have a 5" plate and four pins in my ilium to show for it. I was in the hospital for five days. Between that and after-care, I would have been out over $40K if I'd had to pay out of pocket. As it was, I had employer health insurance at the time that paid 90% of everything. The last 10% I paid out of pocket and could afford, no problem. In the end, that ended up being paid by the homeowners insurance co. of the folks who let their dogs run loose in a county with a leash law, which caused my crash. It was the principle of the thing more than the money, really.