Might it be worth it to just stop paying for health insurance for a while if I can’t afford to use it anyway? Pay off some debt, save some money, fix my credit, stabilize my finances and try health insurance later

I'm a 24m and I have a BCBS plan through my employer. I was on my parents insurance until about a year ago when my parent lost a job and I had to buy my own insurance. I chose a plan with a $1,000 deductible because I need regular appointments with a therapist and periodically with a psychiatrist for medication adjustments etc. In the past I see providers a lot so I thought this would make sense for me.

I pay about $200 a month ish in premiums for just myself, single, no kids, PPO plan. Problem is what i mainly need insurance for is mental health care. I can't find a therapist that's in network that doesn't have a long wait list. Anyone who is available is out of network and too expensive. Anywhere that may provide free or cheap services are in the big cities 1-2 hour drive away. I try to do the right thing and take care of my mental health, "get help" everyone says, but it's near-impossible sometimes.

If I can't actually afford to use the insurance I'm already paying for I don't see the point. I understand it's for a major accident or something really expensive, but I could take my chances. I don't have physical health problems, I don't drive very far, don't engage in risky behaviors much. What I do know is that I'm always broke anyway and can't use this insurance for what I actually need it for anyway.

If I didn't have health insurance I could be in a better financial place after a little while of saving that money. It's frustrating to feel like i pay for something I can't actually even use anyway.

I make ~$29k per year and live in Illinois

submitted by /u/Anon_88965
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