Thank goodness for health insurance. That’s what I thought when I was stuck in Coeur d’Alene with a malfunctioned insulin pen, and discovered what the replacement cost would be without insurance. I couldn’t get just one pen; I had to get five, and the retail price was $500. My insurance provider gave me a break, and I ended up paying only $35. But I started thinking about those with diabetes who need insulin and can’t afford to pay for insurance – which strikes at the core of the political debate over Medicaid expansion. If I had needed test strips for blood-sugar monitoring, it would have cost me another $130 for 100 small, plastic test strips. But under my Medicare plan, the test strips cost zero. I never thought that turning 65 would be so enjoyable/Chuck Malloy, Idaho Politics Weekly. More here.

Question: Do you think health insurance is a right?