‘Ramsey Show’ Caller Says $2,400 A Month In Insurance Premiums Feels Like Money Down The Drain. ‘Those Companies Got Plenty Of Money’

A caller on “The Ramsey Show” sparked a familiar debate this week after sharing frustration over a sudden spike in her family’s health insurance costs. Jennifer, calling from Asheville, North Carolina, said her monthly premium jumped to about $2,400 after her household lost its insurance subsidy.

That increase results in nearly $29,000 a year for coverage her “very healthy family” rarely uses, and it left her questioning whether the expense makes sense at all.

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Jennifer explained that her family is debt-free, owns their home and vehicles outright, and brings in roughly $234,000 a year. Even so, the insurance bill felt excessive. “It just bothers me so bad that I feel like we’re just flushing that money pretty much down the drain,” she said. “It’s just a pain in the butt if we don’t use it.”

The family of five is healthy and typically only goes in for routine checkups. That reality made Jennifer wonder whether it would be smarter to set aside the $29,000 in savings instead of paying for coverage they hope never to need.

But that idea also scared her. “There’s always the what if,” she said, worrying about a serious accident or medical emergency that could instantly overwhelm savings.

Co-hosts Ken Coleman and Jade Warshaw didn’t sugarcoat the situation. Warshaw acknowledged that health insurance has become painfully expensive, especially for families buying coverage on their own. “Our insurance system is broken,” she said, adding that rising premiums are hitting families across income levels. “Healthcare system is broken.”

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Still, both hosts strongly discouraged Jennifer from self-insuring. Warshaw warned that even a large emergency fund would not come close to covering catastrophic medical costs. “If somebody runs into you on the street and everybody’s in the car, there’s medical bills. Do you see what I’m saying?” she said. “$10,000 or $20,000 in an account is not going to help you.”

Warshaw framed insurance as protection you hope you never fully use. “It’s insurance. It’s there when you need it,” she said. “The hope is that you don’t ever need it for its full value.”

She also encouraged a mindset shift. Instead of focusing on how painful the bill feels, Warshaw suggested recognizing the ability to afford comprehensive coverage as a form of financial security. She compared it to paying taxes. “You go, ‘Well, I’m so grateful I have the income,’” she said.

The hosts recommended shopping policies carefully, even if that means considering providers outside the family’s current insurer. They suggested working with an insurance broker to fully understand network options, deductibles, and trade-offs before assuming there are no alternatives.

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Coleman zoomed out to the bigger picture. “We the people need to start throwing these bums out at election dates,” he said, arguing that Congress has the power to reform the system. “Health care is not a luxury. Those companies got plenty of money.”

For families like Jennifer’s, the takeaway is that dropping coverage entirely carries enormous risk, even when premiums feel outrageous. At the same time, recurring costs like insurance can be a signal to step back and review the broader financial picture.

That’s where Domain Money fits into the conversation. For households earning six figures and juggling big, unavoidable expenses, working with a certified professional can help put costs like insurance into context, identify trade-offs, and build confidence around long-term decisions instead of reacting out of frustration.

Jennifer ultimately said she wasn’t looking to make a drastic move; she just needed reassurance. “I just need somebody to talk me down off of that,” she said.

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