Super glue and animal antibiotics are in the medicine cabinets of many farmers and ranchers in Texas — tools of the trade they sometimes use on themselves to avoid a trip to the doctor. It’s not that they have anything against physicians. It’s because they either lack health insurance or their coverage is so limited that a doctor visit could saddle them with a hefty bill.
I know this because I’ve seen the glue (used to seal wounds) and animal meds in first-aid kits of some of my family members who are uninsured farmers and ranchers in South Texas. And they’re not alone. Nationwide,10.7% of farm household members had no health insurance, higher than the 9.1% for the U.S. population, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report using 2015 data, the most recent available.
Finding adequate, affordable health insurance can be a huge challenge for people who run small, family farms or ranches, said Alana Knudson, director of the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis. That’s because many farmers and ranchers are self-employed, with no access to affordable group plans, and have low incomes. Even other private plans with limited coverage are often inadequate and pricey.
