Hi there everyone!
First, I'm not looking to start some kind of debate on healthcare reform here. PLEASE don't get on your high horse on any side of the issue.
OK...
So I've arranged to have a leave of absence from my job so that I can hike the PCT next year. The catch is 'leave of absence' means either suspending my healthcare plan that I get through my employer and getting COBRA, paying for my own plan independently, or just going without.
COBRA isn't very attractive. It's very expensive and will bring the price of the trip up by nearly $1000 (probably more). That's a lot of Snickers bars and beer. I wonder how hard it is to get a plan while planning a long distance hike.
So I guess my question is: What did you do, or what do you plan to do? If you've done a long hike, how crucial do you think it is to have health insurance, and how often did you use it while on the trail?
Thanks!