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I went without insurance for years, and that included the time I messed up my back very badly and was essentially non-functional for 2 months (though I did continue working). I saved a boatload of money even though I paid for an MRI out of pocket ($500). It would have been a different story if I had seen a neurologist and had surgery. I purchased grey market opioids (codeine) and used them as sparingly as possible to maintain minimal usefulness.
The point of all insurance is to keep one from financial catastrophe, not to pay for regular expenses or minor/common misfortune. The appropriate amount of insurance for anyone then is the amount that keeps them from financial ruin.
For me, that's an HSA (health savings account) plus HDHP (high deductible health plan). I pay out of pocket for everything until I hit something like $4k in a year. Work subsidizes the plan, so I pay $80/mo. A PPO or HMO plan would have been much more costly.
The advantage of an HSA is that the money accrues interest and is tax free when withdrawn for qualified medical expenses. Whatever you've accrued when you turn 65 just becomes regular funds to you. It's like an IRA that you can spend for health expenses.
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