Well don't lose hope. Look into a high deductible catastrophic policy that will cover you for the god forbid large events. That deduction requires you pay out of pocket for wellness care, visits for shots, strep throat, etc., but if you can buy one for a year out of savings it may be a cheaper option.

Never underestimate the kindness of strangers and don't be ashamed to let your doctors know your situation. Offer to trade services, presumably your reading HN so you can work with computers. I know a good number of doctors who get a lot of severely discounted home maintenance services from folks who got free or reduced payments for care.

But above all don't ever hesitate to sacrifice the mortgage payment for the sake of your children. They come first. You can swallow your pride and keep the mortgage and bank wolves away from the door for a good period of months by knowing a bit about the law.

I agree with you about ideology. This "healthcare" debate is really about a lot of issues boiling over in our society and it's not really a debate or discussion. There seems to be no common sense left.